Effect of reactant C/Ti ratio on the stoichiometry of Combustion-synthesized TiCx in Ti-C system

In this study, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) of the powder compact consisting of titanium and graphite was used to synthesize titanium carbide (TiCx). The relationship between the C/Ti ratio in the reactants and the stoichiometry of the resultant TiCx phase was investigated. The result showed that when the molar ratio of C to Ti in the reactants increased from 0.6 to 1.2, the stoichiometry of the resultant TiCx phase first increased and then decreased with the maximum value appearing at C/Ti = 1.0, so did the change in the maximum combustion temperature; Furthermore, with an increase in the particle size of graphite, the maximum combustion temperature and the stoichiometry of the resultant TiCx phase decreased. Consequently, the maximum combustion temperature might play a dominating role in determining the final composition of the TiCx phase.