Wear Behavior of Al₂O₃/Ti₃AlC₂-MAX Composites at Elevated Temperatures

This paper investigates the effect of Ti₃AlC₂-MAX phase addition as a solid lubricant to Al₂O₃. The composites were prepared using powder metallurgy and consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The influence of Ti₃AlC₂ addition on phase composition and mechanical and tribological properties was evaluated. The use of MAX phase allows for the fabrication of sintered materials characterized by high density, a hardness close to 2000 HV5, and a fracture toughness of 5.5 MPa*m^0.5 for the sample containing 10 wt.% Ti₃AlC₂. Moreover, a significant reduction in wear of the composites was observed for friction tests conducted at 700 °C compared to the unreinforced sample. The research demonstrates that Ti₃AlC₂ can serve as a solid lubricant and exhibits the best performance at high temperatures.