Surface characterization of titanium hydride powder

Titanium hydride is well known for its stability in air because of formation of thin TiO2 oxide layer on top of TiH2 powder particles. Formation of the oxide layer is directly related to high affinity of Ti to oxygen and it can be formed in few seconds also on top of TiH2 particles in low vacuum. On the other hand, thickness of TiO2 layer on the formed TiH2 powder is in the range of 130 nm. Existence of oxide layer on top of powder particles was confirmed with AES, XPS and EDXS cross section line scans. Formation of thin oxide was confirmed also with calculations based on chemical and TG analyses.