Synthesis of composite based on Ti2AlC with added nanographite via wet ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering

Highlights: • Composite based on the Ti₂AlC phase with the incorporated GNP was obtained by two-stage wet ball milling followed by SPS. • GNP were obtained at the first stage of milling, Ti and Al powders were added at the second stage. • The coefficient of dry friction of the composite with steel is ~ 0.35. A two-stage wet ball milling procedure followed by SPS at 900 °C was applied to fabricate the composite based on Ti₂AlC MAX phase with the incorporated nanographite. In addition to the MAX phase (71 vol-%) and nanographite (5 vol-%), the synthesized composite contains TiC (7 vol-%) and TiAl (4 vol-%) and Ti₆Al₁₆Fe₇ G phase (13 vol-%) which is formed under the interaction of the starting powders with iron going from the material of the milling equipment under milling. The MAX phase and G phase form areas of a layered structure with a layer thickness of about 100–200 nm. The density of the composite is 3.95 g cm⁻³ which is 95% of the calculated, and microhardness being ~8.7 GPa. The proposed method for the synthesis of the composite provides high wear resistance to dry sliding friction against a steel ball and the friction coefficient kfr of ~0.35, and wear being practically absent.