Nano-sizing titanium into titanium carbide by 1-chlorobutane

Abstract

TiC nanoparticles (average diameter 10-150 nm) were prepared by reacting bulk Ti powders (average diameter 20 mum) with gaseous I-chlorobutane at a relatively low temperature (1073-1273 K). I-Chlorobutane provided the carbon atom in the TiC and the chlorine atom that assisted the shrinking of the size of the original Ti powders. The apparently simple procedure is a complex heterogeneous process combining etching, deposition, and carburization reactions.