Evaluation of the Ignition Temperature in Thermal Explosion Synthesis of TiAl_3 by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Application of the Semenov theory of spontaneous ignition to evaluation of the critical temperature (Tc) in thermal explosion (TE) synthesis was conducted with the Ti-75at pct Al binary system using nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at different heating rates. And the critical temperature for isothermal TE is predicted to be 728.9癈 by the multiple linear regression of Tcs evaluated according to Semenov theory, which is close to the range of 740~745癈 obtained from the isothermal DSC observation. This result proves that Semenov theory of spontaneous ignition is also feasible for TE synthesis in binary metallic systems like Ti-75 at. pct Al system.

Zr_(2)SeB and Hf_(2)SeB:Two new MAB phase compounds with the Cr_(2)AlC-type MAX phase(211 phase)crystal structures

The ternary or quaternary layered compounds called MAB phases are frequently mentioned recently together with the well-known MAX phases.However,MAB phases are generally referred to layered transition metal borides,while MAX phases are layered transition metal carbides and nitrides with different types of crystal structure although they share the common nano-laminated structure characteristics.In order to prove that MAB phases can share the same type of crystal structure with MAX phases and extend the composition window of MAX phases from carbides and nitrides to borides,two new MAB phase compounds Zr_(2)SeB and Hf_(2)SeB with the Cr_(2)AlC-type MAX phase(211 phase)crystal structure were discovered by a combination of first-principles calculations and experimental verification in this work.First-principles calculations predicted the stability and lattice parameters of the two new MAB phase compounds Zr_(2)SeB and Hf_(2)SeB.Then they were successfully synthesized by using a thermal explosion method in a spark plasma sintering(SPS)furnace.The crystal structures of Zr_(2)SeB and Hf_(2)SeB were determined by a combination of the X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM).The lattice parameters of Zr_(2)SeB and Hf_(2)SeB are a=3.64398Å,c=12.63223Åand a=3.52280Å,c=12.47804Å,respectively.And the atomic positions are M at 4f(1/3,2/3,0.60288[Zr]or 0.59889[Hf]),Se at 2c(1/3,2/3,1/4),and B at 2a(0,0,0).And the atomic stacking sequences follow those of the Cr_(2)AlC-type MAX phases.This work opens up the composition window for the MAB phases and MAX phases and will trigger the interests of material scientists and physicists to explore new compounds and properties in this new family of materials.