The Effect of Vanadium Carbide on Densification of TaC- Nano Graphite Composite

Various volume fractions of vanadium carbide (VC) (5-20 vol%) was added to TaC- nano Gr composites produced by the pressure-less sintering at the sintering temperatures 2200 °C and 2300 °C. Physical and mechanical properties of the samples such as density, modulus elasticity, hardness and microstructure were studied. The results indicated increasing remarkable of the density, modulus elasticity and hardness. The density increased from 79 to 95.6% for the samples consisting 10 vol% and 20 vol%, respectively at the sintering temperature 2300 °C. Also, the hardness 23.22 GPa was obtained for the composition consisting 20 vol%, sintered at temperature 2200 °C. X-ray diffraction pattern analysis confirmed the formation solid solution between of TaC and VC.