Preparation of TiN nanopowder by carbothermal reduction of a combustion synthesized precursor

•A uniform (TiO2 + C) precursor is prepared by combustion synthesis method.•The (U/Ti) molar ratio in solution governs the (C/Ti) molar ratio in precursor.•The initial transformation of TiO2 to TiN occurs at 900 °C.•The complete transformation of TiO2 to TiN is achieved at 1100 °C for 2 h.•TiN powder synthesized at 1100 °C is mainly comprised of particles of 80–100 nm.

TiN nanopowder was synthesized by carbothermal reduction method by using a (TiO2 + C) precursor derived from titanyl nitrate, urea, glucose, ammonium nitrate, and citric acid mixed solution. The results revealed that the obtained precursor consisted of flake particles with a uniform dispersion of amorphous TiO2 and C. The precursor powders were subsequently calcined under nitrogen at 900–1300 °C for 2 h. The initial transformation of TiO2 to TiN, by adopting this route, occurred at 900 °C. Moreover, TiOxNy, TiO2, and carbon below 1200 °C, and TiCxNy, TiOxNy, TiO2, and carbon at (or above 1200 °C) were found to be as impurities with the calcined products. The lattice parameter of TiN synthesized at 1100 °C (α = 4.240 Å) agrees well with the theoretical value (α = 4.241 Å). TiN powder, synthesized at 1100 °C, exhibited well-distributed spherical particles ranging from 80 to 100 nm. The nitrogen, oxygen, and residual carbon contents of TiN powder synthesized at 1100 °C were found to be 20.37 wt.%, 1.91 wt.%, and 3.36 wt.%, respectively.