Titanium/Titanium Carbide (Ti/TiC) composites with 20, 40 and 60 vol.% of TiC powders were  deposited on Ti-6Al-4V substrates using a laser-directed energy deposition method. The bulk relative  densities exceeding 99% were achieved in the deposits. The evolution of microstructures and local  chemical compositions in the deposits under rapid melting and solidification were analyzed using X 

ray diffraction, electron probe micro-analyzer and scanning electron microscopy. Assessment of  mechanical integrity of the deposits involved microhardness, tensile testing and fractography. The  deposition process resulted in defect-free deposits with 20% TiC. However, cracks were observed  originating from the substrate/deposit interface in the 40 and 60% TiC deposit. The L-DED process  caused only partial dissolution of the initial TiC particles and the amount of undissolved angular  particles in the deposited matrix increased with increasing TiC volume fraction in the initial powder  feedstock mixture. A non-stoichiometric TiC0.55 compound was found to form during solidification. The  solidified product in the deposits included dendritic and equiaxed TiC0.55 precipitates homogeneously  distributed in the matrix. Micro-hardness measurements indicated that hardness values increased monotonically with TiC content in the deposit. On the other hand, a gradient Ti/TiC composite with  composition ranging between 20 and 60% TiC did not develop any growth cracks suggesting an  efficient processing route for synthesizing MMCs with high volume fraction of brittle ceramic  reinforcements. It was found that pre-existing cracks in the TiC used in the starting feedstock played  a key role in the mechanical integrity of the deposits. This observation suggests that the mechanical  performance of the Ti/TiC composite deposits can be improved using techniques that promote  complete dissolution of the original TiC. 

Keywords: Ti/TiC composites; Additive Manufacturing; Directed energy deposition (DED); Non stoichiometric TiC; Electron probe microanalyses (EPMA); Titanium martensite.