Thermomechanical properties of aluminium titanate (Al₂TiO₅)-reinforced forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) ceramic composites

Aluminium titanate (Al₂TiO₅)-reinforced forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) ceramics were prepared by the powder metallurgy route including sintering the Al₂TiO₅-reinforced Mg₂SiO₄ green compacts at 1600 °C. Sivas talc (3MgO.4SiO₂·H₂O) was used as a precursor for the Mg₂SiO₄ ceramics due to its excellent mechanical properties like thermal shock and abrasion resistance. In order to investigate thermal shock resistance behaviour, the as-prepared samples were quenched in water and assessed. Investigations were carried out to study the effect of Al₂TiO₅ addition on microstructural, physical, thermal and mechanical properties of Al₂TiO₅-reinforced Mg₂SiO₄ ceramic composites. The thermal and mechanical properties were examined before and after thermal shock tests. The results showed that the best thermal expansion coefficient (0.76 × 10⁻⁶ (K⁻¹)) and thermal shock resistance (6.82 GPa) of the Al₂TiO₅-reinforced forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) ceramic composites were obtained after thermal shock test, which were better than those of the other concentrations of the Al₂TiO₅-reinforced forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) ceramic composites. These findings suggest that 20 wt% Al₂TiO₅-reinforced forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) ceramic composites possess good thermomechanical properties and thus might be suitable for potential applications such as filter material, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic manufacturing, optical, and chemical devices.