Kinetics of thermal decomposition of titanium hydride powder using in situ High-temperature X-ray Diffraction (HTXRD)

Abstract

The thermal decomposition of titanium hydride powder (δ-phase) to titanium (α-phase) was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) in high vacuum. The δ-to-α phase transformation was followed in situ by HTXRD at temperatures varying from room temperature up to 1000 °C. The transformation was also analyzed as a function of time at isothermal conditions from 450 to 650 °C. The results of TGA show that the decomposition of the titanium hydride becomes significant at about 450 °C. Above 500 °C the decomposition is completed in times shorter than 50 minutes. The apparent activation energy for hydrogen desorption was found to be 63 ± 6 kJ.mol-1.