Formation of Ti-B-N-C Ceramic Composite Materials via a Gas-Solid Phase Reaction

Phase mixtures of Titanium boride, nitride, and carbide powder were produced by the reduction of a mixture of titanium and boron oxides with carbon via a gas-solid phase reaction. Boron oxides produce a vapour phase or decompose to a metal sub-oxide gaseous species when reduced at elevated temperature. The mechanism of BO sub-oxide gas formation from $B_2O_3$ and its subsequent reduction to titanium diboride for the production of uniform size hexagonal platelets is explained. These gaseous phases are critical for the formation of boride, nitride and carbide ceramics. For the production of ceramic phase composite microstructures, the nitrogen partial pressure was the most critical factor. Some calculated equilibrium phase fields has been verified experimentally. The theoretical approach therefore identifies conditions for the formation of phase mixtures. The thermodynamic and kinetic factors that govern the phase constituents are also discussed.