Cu-TiB2 nanocomposite powders were obtained by means of a combination of mechanical treatment and combustion reaction. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) was used to inhibit grain growth and thereby obtain fully dense Cu-TiB2 sintered bodies with a nanocomposite structure. The phases of the synthesized product were identified using X-ray diffraction and results showed only Cu and TiB2, with no other phases existing in the product. The particle size of self-propagating high-temperature synthesized powder was smaller than 250 nn. Mechanical and electrical properties were investigated after SPS at 650 degrees C for 30 minutes,,the electrical conductivity decreased from 75 to 54% International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS) with the TiB2 content increased from 2.5 to 10 wt.%. while the hardness increased from 56 to 97 HRB. In addition, the tensile strength and wear resistance of the composites increased as the TyB(2) content increased.

Keywords: Cu-TiB2 composite; slef-propagating high-temperature synthesis; spark-plasma sintering; wear resistance; tensile strength