The ability of a TIC to detect and distinguish heat sources can mean the difference between missing someone or saving them. Currently many fire service TICs have low resolution thermal sensitivity or minimum resolvable temperature difference ratings which allow them to see only a few degrees of difference between hot and cold objects. A higher sensitivity rating or refresh rate will allow firefighters to discern objects up to 7-10 feet away.
The effects of TiC on the microstructure, composition distribution, phase, density and mechanical properties were investigated by XRD, SEM, tensile and impact tests. The results showed that the bending strength of the composite increased with increasing TiC content. The hardness of the composite increased with the TiC content, but was lower than that of the Ni-Ti-Al base metal. The abrasion resistance of the composite was better at the TiC content of 30 wt % than that of 20 wt %. This improvement was due to the formation of Ti2AlC.
In addition to the aforementioned features, when purchasing a TIC it is important that you purchase one with a high processor speed, also known as the refresh rate. TICs with a low processor speed or refresh rate can be difficult to use for firefighters as they will often lag or trail while scanning the area. We recommend a minimum of 25 Hertz.
