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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