Manufacture of Toughened Al2O3-Based Composites by the Combination of RBAO and SPS Processes

The effect of additions of silver or titanium (0.5 or 3 vol.%) microparticles on the microstructure, as well as some physical properties of Al2O3-based composites, were studied. The processing method for the manufacturing of alumina-based composites was a combination of RBAO and SPS processes. After the SPS process, bodies with almost full density were obtained. Observations by optical microscopy show a very fine and homogenous microstructure in all samples. Concerning mechanical properties, the addition of metals on alumina increases its fracture toughness significantly (112% for the sample with additions of silver, while the composite with additions of titanium fracture toughness increases by 72%). In terms of optical properties, both silver and titanium improve the absorbance in the visible range.