Controlling conditions for synthesis of iron-titanium carbide using two different titanium precursors

Abstract Preparation of Fe–TiC composite from mixtures of carbon black and two different titanium bearing minerals (black sand ilmenite and natural rutile) was studied. Milled (mechanically activated) and unmilled carbon containing mixtures were prepared and then heated at temperatures 1200 °C and 1300 °C for 3 h under an inert atmosphere. The reaction progress, as well as reaction products, was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The feasibility of producing Fe–TiC composites from titanium bearing materials mixed with carbon black was proved. Fe–TiC could be produced by carbothermic reduction of mechanically activated black sand ilmenite containing mixtures milled for 50 h and heated up to 1200 °C. On the other hand, 60 h milling followed by heating up to 1300 °C was needed in case of natural rutile containing mixture. The morphology of the Fe–TiC produced from black sand ilmenite showed a homogeneous distribution of Fe and TiC enriched areas, while the Fe–TiC produced from natural rutile showed intense distribution of TiC phase with traces of iron and lower titanium oxide.