Formation of Titanium Carbide/Aluminum Oxide Nanocomposite Powder by High-Energy Ball Milling and Subsequent Heat Treatment

The preparation of titanium carbide/aluminum oxide (TiC/Al₂O₃) nanocomposite powders from a mixture of titanium, carbon, and Al₂O₃ powders via a high-energy ball milling process and subsequent heat treatment was investigated. The microstructure development of the powder mixtures was monitored by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The ball milling of an elemental carbon, titanium, and Al₂O₃ powder mixture at ambient temperature resulted in the formation of TiC within 15 h of milling. With further milling of up to 25 h, the resulting powder mixture was composed of nanosized TiC particles and nanocrystalline carbon, titanium, and Al₂O₃. The nanocrystalline titanium and carbon were transformed into nanosized TiC particles after subsequent heat treatment. The final product was composed of nanosized TiC and microcrystalline Al₂O_3. Most of the nanosized TiC particles were located within Al₂O₃ grains.