Effect of Raw Material Characteristics on the Carbothermal Reduction of Titanium Dioxide

Abstract

In the present study, the focus is on the effect of the particle characteristics of titanium dioxide powder in the carbothermal reduction of the titanium dioxide/carbon system. Four types of titanium dioxide powders with various phase structures and mean particle sizes were mixed with carbon black. These mixtures were heat treated under a flowing argon atmosphere. The changes in the phase structure and thermal gravity of the mixtures during heat treatment were analyzed using XRD and TG-DTA. Titanium dioxide powders with 100% anatase phase structure exhibit a higher titanium carbide (TiC) formation ability than the titanium dioxide powders with the mixed phase structure of the anatase and rutile phase structures. It was concluded that the phase structure of the titanium dioxide plays a more important role than the particle size on the carbothermal reduction of the titanium dioxide/carbon system.