Abstract
Raw material (5.5μ) and crushed (1.2μ) powders of titanium hydride were mixed with graphite powder and heated at temperatures up to 1600°C in vacuum (10-5 Torr).
Particle size was the only factor governing the rate of carbide formation, provided that the reaction is thermodynamically favorable. It is shown that the adsorbed water was released above 100°C, that titanium hydride is dehydrogenated at 200-700°C, and that titanium carbide is formed from metallic titanium and carbon in solid state above 700°C, accompanied by the formation of carbon monoxide above 1200°C.
The oxygen content increases with decreasing particle size of the raw material. However, the difference in oxygen content due to particle size was found to decrease and disappear from 400°C to 700°C. Oxygen content increased again above 800°C and was proportional to the surface area of the sample powder. It was shown that the higher the reaction temperature, the more increases the combined carbon in the synthetized titanium carbide.
