In this study, TiB₂-steel composite with high-fractional TiB₂ reinforcement was fabricated by gas pressure infiltration process and the microstructure analysis and compressive strength and hardness were evaluated. To elucidate the correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties for fabricated composite, after the compression test of TiB₂-steel composite, the fracture surface was analyzed and the fracture behavior on compression test was predicted. As a result of the compression fracture surface analysis, interfacial failure trace between the steel matrix and the reinforcement was observed, and the interface between the steel matrix and the reinforcement was analyzed using TEM. From the result of microstructure analysis on the fabricated composite, it was confirmed that, in addition to TiB₂ reinforcement and steel matrix, TiC phase and coarse (Fe,M)₂B (M=Cr,Mn) phase were formed. Throughout the thermodynamic calculation, it was confirmed that TiC and (Fe,M)₂B can be formed as a stable phase under the process condition. The fabricated TiB₂-steel composite had a significantly increased hardness, and the compressive strength and Young’s modulus were improved by 3.07 times and 1.95 times, respectively, compared to steel matrix. It seems that the coarse (Fe,M)₂B (M=Cr,Mn) phase formed throughout the composite causes the deterioration of mechanical properties, and by controlling the formation of the (Fe,M)₂B (M=Cr,Mn) phase, it is judged that the mechanical properties of the TiB₂-steel composite can be further improved

본 연구에서는 가스압 함침공정을 이용하여 고체적률 TiB₂-steel 복합재료를 제조하였으며, 미세조직 분석과 압축강도 및 경도를 측정하였다. 복합재료의 미세조직과 기계적 물성과의 연관성을 고찰하고자, 압축시험 후 시편의 파면을 분석하고 압축시험 중 시편의 파괴 거동을 예측하였다. 파면 분석 결과, 기지금속과 강화상 입자 간의 계면파괴 흔적이 관찰되었으며, 이에 기지금속과 강화상의 계면을 TEM을 사용하여 분석하였다. 제조된 복합재료의 미세조직 분석 결과, TiB₂ 강화상 및 steel 기지상 이외에 TiC 상과 조대한 (Fe,M)₂B (M=Cr,Mn)상이 생성된 것을 확인할 수 있었으며, 열역학 계산을 통하여 공정조건에서 TiC와 (Fe,M)₂B가 안정상으로 생성될 수 있음을 확인하였다. 제조된 TiB₂-steel 복합재료는 기지 금속 대비 경도가 크게 상승하였으며, 상온 압축강도 및 탄성계수는 각각 3.07배, 1.95배 향상되었다. 복합재료 내부 전반에 생성된 조대한 (Fe,M)₂B (M=Cr,Mn)상이 기계적 물성 저하를 일으키는 것으로 보이며, (Fe,M)₂B (M=Cr,Mn)상의 생성을 제어함으로써 TiB₂-steel 복합재료의 기계적 물성을 추가적으로 향상시킬 수 있을 것이라 생각한다

Keywords: 금속복합재료(Metal matrix composite), 가스압 함침(Gas pressure infiltration), 스틸(Steel), 티타늄 다이보라이드(Titanium diboride), 파면분석(Fracture surface analysis)