Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 in air using mechanically activated 3Ti/Si/2C powder

Mechanical alloying (MA) refined the 3Ti/Si/2C powder particles and produced severe lattice distortion, which significantly improved the reaction activities of the powders. When the powder was exposed to air, it spontaneously self-ignited inducing self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) of titanium silicon carbide (Ti3SiC2). A porous product was obtained. The surface of the product was a TiO2 layer, but the inner was the Ti3SiC2 and TiC mixture. The Ti3SiC2 content of a bulk product was about 83 wt%. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of Ti3SiC2 by SHS in air induced by mechanical activation (MA).