Interaction Mechanisms between TiC and VN under High-Pressure High-Temperature Sintering and Mechanical Alloying

This study examines the interaction between titanium carbide TiC and nitride vanadium VN during both high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) sintering and mechanical alloying in a high-energy planetary mill. An equimolar TiC–VN mixture served as a binder in the synthesis of a PcBN composite with the cBN–TiC–VN–Al system (60 : 17.5 : 17.5 : 5 vol %) and was also used during mechanical alloying. Both synthesis routes produced confined solid solutions, (Ti, V)(C, N) and (V, Ti)N, but through distinct mechanisms: vacancy formation during mechanical alloying and diffusion-driven processes during HPHT sintering. Considering these findings, we propose synthesizing PcBN composites with various MeIC–MeIIN binders by applying preliminary mechanochemical treatment until solid solutions form.