Overcoming the Strength-Ductility dilemma in titanium matrix composites through the construction of a Two-Scale laminated structure

In this research, a novel strategy for improving titanium alloy strength while maintaining ductility is proposed. A laminar structure of titanium matrix composites on both macroscopic and microscopic scales has been obtained by in-situ reaction combined with spark plasma sintering (SPS), which consists of pure titanium layers and in-situ TiC layers. In particular, the in-situ TiC layer, which has a “brick and mortar” structure, is formed by the reaction of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) with flaky titanium powder.Results show that the two-scaled laminate composite exhibits exceptional strength/ductility synergy, with significantly increased yield strength (+127.32 MPa compared to pure Ti) while maintaining a commendable ductility of 23.2 %.This research proposes a practical strategy to achieve a balance between strength and ductility through the synergistic effect of multiple structures in titanium matrix composites.