Synthesis of nanocrystalline titanium carbonitride during milling of titanium and carbon in nitrogen atmosphere

Mixtures of elemental titanium and carbon with Ti/C atomic ratio of 1:0, 1:0.125, 1:0.25, 1:0.5 and 1:0.75 were milled in nitrogen atmosphere using a high-energy ball mill, Spex8000. Nanocrystalline titanium carbonitride powders have been synthesized when milling the mixtures with Ti/C atomic ratio not less than 0.25. The formation of the titanium carbonitride phase has been found to undergo an abrupt reaction. It is suggested that this reaction appears to be a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) process. During the incubation duration of the SHS reaction, small amount of titanium carbonitride phase has been detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The composition and lattice parameter of the synthesized titanium carbonitride phase can be adjusted by changing the composition of the starting mixture of elemental titanium and carbon.