Synthesis of nano Ti(C,N) powder by mechanical activation and subsequent carbothermal reduction–nitridation reaction

Nano Ti(C,N) powder with average particle size of below 100 nm was synthesized from nano anatase/carbon black mixtures employing mechanical milling activation and subsequent carbothermal reduction–nitridation (CRN) reaction. The activated and heat-treated powders have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), reaction dynamics of activated powders has been studied by thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), and Ti(C,N) products were evaluated by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results show that CRN reaction of anatase was enhanced by pre-milling the starting powders. Thus, onset formation temperature and holding time of Ti(C,N) decreased from 1300 °C to 1150 °C and from 4 h to 2 h, respectively. However, mechanical activation did not alter phase evolution sequences of TiO2 CRN reaction.