Formation of face-centered cubic and tetragonal titanium oxynitride by low temperature annealing of ball milled titanium powder in air

•TiOxNy was synthesized by annealing of ball milled Ti in air at 900 °C.•A trace of rutile-type TiO2−xNx phase was detected.•The morphology of annealed powder displays multiple interesting colours.•Crystallite sizes, 66.72 nm (TiOxNy) and 106.65 nm (TiO2−xNx) were obtained.•Raman spectra of the TiO2−xNx and TiOxNy confirms new phases.

TiO0.61N0.29 was synthesized by annealing of ball milled Ti in air at 900 °C for 5 h. In addition, traces of rutile-type TiO1.56N0.56 phases were observed. The morphology of the synthesized powder displayed multiple interesting colours. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used for characterization of the powders. Raman analyses showed a phase transformation upon annealing in air.

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