Alumina-titanium carbide-silicon carbide composition

A cutting tool comprising:

• a ceramic body having a flank face, a rake face and a cutting edge formed at a juncture of said rake face and said flank face;
• said ceramic body composed of about 1.0 to less than 30 volume percent silicon carbide whiskers having an average diameter between about 0.3 and about 0.7 microns;
• about 5 to about 40 volume percent titanium carbide phase;
• wherein the sum of titanium carbide phase plus silicon carbide whiskers is less than 60 volume percent;
• an alumina based matrix forming essentially the remainder;
• and
• wherein said silicon carbide whisker and said titanium carbide phase are dispersed in said alumina based matrix and said titanium carbide phase has a larger average diameter than the average diameter of the silicon carbide whiskers.

A fired ceramic composition comprising:

• about 1.0 to less than 30 volume percent silicon carbide whiskers;
• about 5 to about 40 volume percent of substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles having an average diameter between 1 and 10 microns;
• wherein the sum of said silicon carbide whiskers and said substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles is less than about 60 volume percent;
• an alumina based matrix forming essentially the remainder;
• wherein the average diameter of said substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles is greater than the average diameter of the silicon carbide whiskers;
• and wherein said silicon carbide whiskers and said substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles are dispersed in said alumina based matrix.

A fired ceramic composition comprising:

• about 1.0 to less than 30 volume percent silicon carbide whiskers having an average diameter between about 0.3 and about 0.7 microns;
• about 5 to about 40 volume percent of substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles having an average diameter between 1 and 10 microns;
• wherein the sum of said silicon carbide whiskers and said substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles is less than about 60 volume percent;
• an alumina based matrix forming essentially the remainder;
• and wherein said silicon carbide whiskers and said substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles are dispersed in said alumina based matrix.

A cutting tool comprising:

• a ceramic body having a flank face, a rake face and a cutting edge formed at a juncture of said rake face and said flank face;
• said ceramic body composed of about 1.0 to less than 30 volume percent silicon carbide whiskers;
• about 5 to about 40 volume percent of substantially equiaxed titanium carbide particles having an average diameter of about 1 to 10 microns;
• wherein the sum of titanium carbide particles plus said silicon carbide whiskers is less than 60 volume percent;
• an alumina based matrix forming essentially the remainder;
• and
• wherein said silicon carbide whisker and said titanium carbide phase are dispersed in said alumina based matrix and said titanium carbide phase has a larger diameter than the average diameter of the silicon carbide whiskers.