Mechanochemical carboaluminothermic reduction of rutile to produce TiC–Al2O3 nanocomposite

• Mechanical alloying as a useful and inexpensive method can be used for the production of TiC–Al2O3 nanocomposite.
• After 10 h of ball milling the TiO2/Al/C reacted with a self-propagation combustion mode producing TiC–Al2O3 nanocomposite.
• In the final stage of milling, TiC and Al2O3 crystallite size were less than 28 nm.
• No significant grain growth or phase change observed after annealing of ball milled TiC–Al2O3 powder at 1200 °C for 1 h.

This investigation aims to produce TiC–Al2O3 nanocomposite by reducing rutile with aluminum and graphite powder via a mechanochemical process. The effect of milling time on this process was investigated. The characterization of phase formation was carried out by XRD and SEM. Results showed that after a 10 h milling, the combustion reaction between Al, TiO2 and C was started and promoted by a self-propagation high temperature synthesis. Extending the milling time to 20 h, the reaction was completed. The XRD study illustrated after a 20 h milling, the width of TiC and Al2O3 peaks increased while the crystallite sizes of these phases decreased to less than 28 nm. After annealing at 800 °C for 1 h in a tube furnace, TiC and Al2O3 crystallite sizes remained constant. However, raising the annealing temperature to 1200 °C caused TiC and Al2O3 crystallite size to increase to 49 nm and 63 nm, respectively. No new phase was detected after the heat treatment of the synthesised TiC–Al2O3 nanocomposite.

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