Structural Properties of TiC obtained by Mechano-synthesis

Mechanical alloying (MA) of the titanium carbide (TiC) compound from high purity elemental powders has been studied. The powders were mechanically milled in a vibratory ball mill at room temperature for different milling times from 8 to 20 h. The mechanical alloying experiments were conducted using two milling tools; tungsten carbide container and balls, and tungsten carbide (WC) container with hardened steel balls. The as-milled powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The use of WC container and balls contaminate the Ti+C mixture powders. However, the combined use of WC vials and hardened steel balls minimizing the powders contamination. Rietveld refinement revealed that the cubic carbide phase presents C vacancies. Therefore, the TiC phase obtained by MA process is not a stoichiometric phase. XRD and HREM observations indicate a heavy deformation in the TiC structure as a consequence of high-energy ball-milling.