Abstract:

Titanium nitride with various morphologies was  successfully synthesized via direct current arc discharge method with  titanium metal as the reactant and nitrogen gas as the working medium. X\|ray diffraction and select area electron diffraction studies reveal that the product was composed of single\|phase cubic titanium nitride with few contaminations. Through transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy investigations, it was found that with the decreasing of temperature, the samples collected at different temperature zones had undergone the morphology evolution from block, through sheet  and porous structures to submicron particles and nanoparticles. An optimum gas pressure of 20 kPa was found for the synthesis of titanium nitride.

Key words: titanium nitride, arc discharge, morphology evolution, porous structure