Wear-resistant MAX phases-based Materials of Ti-Al-C System for Electrical Transport

MAX phases combined best properties of metals and ceramics [1-3]. Short-time synthesis under relatively low (10-15 MPa) pressures using hot pressing technique allowed us to obtain MAX-phase-based materials suitable for manufacturing of current-loaded inserts of pantographs. The most effective appeared to be the material containing 93% Ti3AlC2, 4% TiC and 3% Al2O3. Its wear after the 5 km of friction path in contact with copper under 0.25 MPa load (which is typical for pressing pantographs to electrical wire) was 0.0003 g, and the wear of the counter body (copper M1) at this was 0.0011 g. The wear of MAX-phase-based material was 20 times less than the wear of silumin AK (which is used for electrical transport pantographs manufacturing) and the wear of copper in contact with MAX phase occurred to be 10 times less than its wear in contact with silumin AK. It has been found that the amount of Ti3AlC2 (or 312), Ti2AlC (or 211), TiC and the material density effect the wear resistance of MAX-phases-based materials. The wear of highly dense materials based on MAХ phases containing both phases of structural types 312 and 211 (61% Ti3AlC2, 22% Ti2AlC, 17% TiC (I) and 40% Ti3AlC2 + 60% Ti2AlC (II)), when rubbed in pairs with copper M1 under 0.25 MPa, after 5 km of the path was 0.0005 g and 0.0018 g of composition (I) and (II), respectively, while the wear of the silumin was much higher: 0.0228 g and 0.022 g, respectively.