Carbon-fibre/titanium-matrix composites of a hierarchical microstructure

A new fabrication route to reinforce titanium with carbon fibres by using an intermediate matrix with a melting point sufficiently low to infiltrate the fibres is suggested. Carbon-fibre/intermediate-matrix layers form a reinforcing component for titanium, which serves as the main matrix. In the present experiments, a Ti-Ti2Ni mixture is used as the intermediate matrix; pure titanium is the main matrix. Bending tests of the composite specimens reveal a possibility of obtaining composites with the strength and Young’s modulus values of at least 1000 MPa and 160 GPa, respectively, which are much higher than the corresponding characteristics of the main matrix.