Highly textured TiN ceramic prepared by edge-free spark plasma sintering.

Highly textured TiN ceramic was successfully prepared by edge-free spark plasma sintering (EFSPS) method at 1600°C using anisotropic Ti2AlN cylinder as preform. The phase and crystalline evolutions from anisotropic Ti2AlN to textured bulk TiN were revealed via changing the EFSPS temperature. The orientation degree of the as-fabricated TiN ceramic was evaluated by X-ray diffraction and electron backscattered diffraction. It was found that the lll planes of TiN grains were perpendicular to the SPS-loading direction and the Lotgering orientation factor on the top surface of bulk TiN was as high as f(lll) = 0.88. Because of the highly textured microstructure, the obtained TiN ceramic exhibited anisotropic mechanical and physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]