Synthesis and Characterization of TiC and TiC-Al2O3Composite from Wood Dust by Self-Propagating High Temperature Synthesis

Titanium carbide (TiC) and TiC-Al2O3 composite particles were obtained in situ by a self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) of wood dust and TiO2 with Mg and Al, respectively. The reaction was carried out in a SHS reactor under static argon gas at the pressure of 0.5 MPa. The standard Gibbs energy minimization method was used to calculate the equilibrium composition of the reacting species. The effects of activated carbon used as precursor instead of wood dust were investigated. XRD and SEM analyses indicate a complete reaction of the precursors for both wood dust and activated carbon to yield TiC-MgO and TiC-Al2O3 as a product composite. The synthesized TiC-MgO composites were leached with 0.1M HCl acid solution to obtain TiC particles as final products