Universal Journal of Materials Science 5(2): 38-51, 2017 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujms.2017.050202 Effect of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) Addition during Field Activated Sparck Plasma Sinter (FASPS) in the Ceramics Matrix Nanocomposites (Mo 2 C) 1-x (TiC) x (2≤x≤4): Physical, Mechanical Properties and Sintering Behaviour Badis Bendjemil 1,2,* , Jacques G. Noudem 3 , Mohamed Mouyane 4 , Jérôme Bernard 4 , Jean Michel Reboul 4 , Yannick Guhel 4 , David Houivet 4 1 DGM, FST, University of 8 Mai 1945 of Guelma, 24000 Guelma, Algeria 2 LASEA, DC, FS, University of Badji Mokhtar, 23000 Annaba, Algeria 3 ENSICAEN, 6, Boulevard Maréchal Juin, CS 45053 14050 Caen cedex 04, France 4 LUSAC, EA 4253, 60 rue Max Pol Fouchet, CS 20082, University of Caen Normandy, 50130 Cherbourg-Octeville, France Copyright©2017 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract Nanocomposites are wear resistant materials used in cutting tool applications. The materials are composed of ultrafine powder hard phase grains surrounded by a tough binder phase carbon nanotubes (Mo 2 C) 1-x (TiC) x (2≤x≤4)//1Wt% SWCNTs. Composite bicarbide Mo 2 C-TiC was rapidly synthesised and simultaneously consolidated by Field activated sintering technique (spark plasma sintering) at which the extensive volume expansion occurred as a function of the volumic fraction from 20 to 40 vol.% of TiC powders and 1 Wt.% of SWCNTs as reinforcement of the CMNC’s. The sintered powder mixture was examined by XRD patterns, the morphology of the obtained phase was observed by SEM and the phase compositions in different regions were analyzed by EDX. The composites were processed using Field Activated Sintering Technique, spark plasma sintering (SPS) at temperatures in the range of 1700-1800°C with addicting of SWCNTs. The effects of SWCNTs addition on phases morphology, microstructure hardness and fracture toughness of the nanocomposite were investigated. The best product contained 1.0 Wt.% SWCNTs from (Mo 2 C) 1-x (TiC) x , x= 0.2 which was sintered at 1700°C, 70 MPa for 10 min, M 0.8 T 0.2 / 1 Wt% SWCNTs exhibit a better density, highest hardness and a good ductility. Relative densification was achieved 99.5 % from the theoretical and a good mechanical properties like hardness and fracture toughness (K IC =5.6 Mpa m 1/2 ) are enhanced. The results were confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. Keywords (Mo 2 C) 1-x (TiC) x (2≤x≤4)// 1 Wt% SWCNTs, Ceramics Matrix Nanocomposites (CMNC’s), Field Activated Sintering Technique (SPS), Physical Properties, Mechanical Properties, Wear Resistant, Microstructure-final, Raman Scattering 1. Introduction Nanomaterials (defined as being in the size range 1-100 nm in at least one dimension) have been the subject of extensive research in recent years due to their extraordinary properties over their conventional counterparts. For more than two decades, the topic of nanomaterials’ development has been widely investigated by many researchers aiming at exploring their potential and finding suitable applications. Ultimately, they proved to be beneficial in several applications in areas like surface engineering, drug delivery, analytical chemistry, bio encapsulation, Nano composite as well as in electronic, magnetic, optical, and mechanical devices. These applications do stimulate a great deal of research interest amongst institutions and companies aiming at capitalizing on their potential. However, there are still a number of difficulties when it comes to processing of these nanomaterials especially in fabricating final products as these nanomaterials may lose their crystallite size along the path of processing. These problems have to be tackled