Synthesis, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of Ti3Sn(1-x)AlxC2 MAX Phase Solid Solutions

Ti3Sn(1-x) AlxC2 MAX phase solid solutions are successfully synthesized from different reactant mixtures. Rietveld refinement allows to carefully characterize their structures and the ocathedra and trigonal prims distortion parameters as a function of the Al content. Mechanical properties of solid solutions are studied from nanoindentation experiments and dynamic resonant method. It is shown that solid solution hardening is not operative in this system. Elastic modulus is found to increase from Ti3SnC2 to Ti3AlC2, and such a result is discussed in terms of Ti-A bond stiffness.