Synthesis of single-phase Ti3SiC2 powder

In this study, free 2Ti/2Si/3TiC powder mixture was heated at high temperatures in vacuum, in order to reveal the possibility for the synthesis of high Ti₃SiC₂ content powder. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for the evaluation of phase identities and the morphology of the powder after different treatments. Results showed that almost single phase Ti₃SiC₂ powder (99.3 wt.%) can be synthesized by heat treatment with free 2Ti/2Si/3TiC powders in vacuum at 1210°C for about 3 h. The nucleation and growth of Ti₃SiC₂ within TiC particles was observed. The typical appearance of the formed Ti₃SiC₂ is equiaxed with particle size of 2–4 μm. Effects of temperature and heating time on the morphology and the particle sizes of the synthesized Ti₃SiC₂ powders are not obvious.