A homogeneous and high-purity titanium silicon carbon powder (Ti3SiC2) is synthesised, using titanium, silicon and carbon black powders as raw starting materials at low temperatures via an improved molten salt method. This work demonstrates that multiple molten salts are more beneficial in facilitating the synthesis of Ti3SiC2 powder. The effect of reaction temperature on the purity of the synthesis was investigated, and the amount of excess Si required to compensate for their evaporating losses was determined. The powders were characterised by Various instruments. SEM and TEM images show that the as-prepared Ti3SiC2 retained its homogeneous morphology, and is near-pure, 500-600 nm in size, and generally well-dispersed. We believe that TiC and TiSi2 formed by the molten salt method at low temperatures is the dominant factor in the reduced synthesis temperature and good dispersion of the final Ti3SiC2 powder.
ShanD, YanG, ZhouL, Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 bulks by infiltration method. J Alloy Compd. 2011;509:3602–3605.
2.
LiH, ChenD, ZhouJ, Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 by pressureless sintering of the elemental powders in vacuum. Mater Lett. 2004;58:1741–1744.
3.
HuJ, FengY, ZhaoH, Ti3SiC2 irradiation damage at electron beam energy levels of 120 keV and 200 keV. Mater Lett. 2021;285:129064.
4.
LiuXL, JiangY, ZhangHB, Corrosion behavior of porous Ti3SiC2 in nitric acid and aqua regia. T Nonferr Metal Soc. 2017;27(3):584−590.
5.
BarsoumMW.MAX phases: properties of machinable ternary carbides and nitrides. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH; 2013.
6.
BarsoumMW.The MN+1AXN phases: a new class of solids. Prog Solid State Ch. 2000;28(1–4):201–281.
7.
CarlM, TomG, LeM, Synthesis and microstructural evolution in ternary metalloceramic Ti3SiC2 consolidated via the maxthal 312 powder route. Ceram Int. 2020;46:15342–15356.
8.
AlirezaP, HamidrezaB, HamzeF, Low temperature synthesis of high-purity Ti3SiC2 via additional Si through spark plasma sintering. J Alloy Compd. 2019;789:313–322.
9.
Filbert-DemutI, TravitzkyN, MotzG, Polymer derived ceramics reinforced with Ti3SiC2 coated SiC fibers: a feasibility study. Mater Lett. 2015;145:229–231.
10.
RadovicM, BarsoumMW.MAX phases: bridging the gap between metals and ceramics. Am Ceram Soc Bull. 2013;92:20–27.
11.
El-RaghyT, BarsoumMW.Processing and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2: I, reaction path and microstructure evolution. J Am Ceram Soc. 1999;82:2849–2854.
12.
WangJ, ZhouY.Recent progress in theoretical prediction, preparation, and characterization of layered ternary transition-metal carbides. Annu Rev Mater Res. 2009;39:415–443.
13.
SunZM.Progress in research and development on MAX phases: a family of layered ternary compounds. Int Mater Rev. 2011;56(3):143–166.
14.
HeejinK, ZhouXB, Dang-HyokY.Fabrication of SiCf/Ti3SiC2 by the electrophoresis of highly dispersed Ti3SiC2 powder. Ceram Int. 2020;46:18168–18174.
15.
BarsoumMW, El-RaghyT.Synthesis and characterization of a remarkable ceramic: Ti3SiC2. J Am Ceram Soc. 1996;79:1953–1956.
16.
XueMQ, XuW, WangRX, Influence of different raw material systems on the synthesis of Ti3SiC2 and its corrosion behavior. Bull Chin Soc. 2018;37(4):1455–1461.
17.
RadhakrishnanR, WilliamsJJ, AkincM.Synthesis and high-temperature stability of Ti3SiC2. J Alloy Compd. 1999;285(1–2):85–88.
18.
YangGY, LiGD, XiongX.Effect of temperature on the formation law of Ti3SiC2 in CVD prepared TiSiC codeposited coating. Mater Sci Eng Powder Metall. 2014;19(5):797–804.
19.
YanWQ, DaiL, GuiCB.Microstructure and high temperature bending strength of Ti3SiC2/TiC composite by arc melting process. Therm Process. 2013;42(10):126–128.
20.
AtazadehN, HeydariMS, BaharvandiHR, Reviewing the effects of different additives on the synthesis of the Ti3SiC2 MAX phase by mechanical alloying technique. Int J Refract Met H. 2016;61:67–78.
21.
QiF, WangZ, WuJ, Improved mechanical properties of Al2O3 ceramic by in-suit generated Ti3SiC2 and TiC via hot pressing sintering. Ceram Int. 2017;43(14):10691–10697.
22.
AbuMJ, MohamedJJ, AhmadZA.Synthesis of high purity titanium silicon carbide from elemental powders using arc melting method. Int J Refract Met Hard Mater. 2014;47:86–92.
LiuXL, ZhangHB, JiangY, Characterisation and application of porous Ti3SiC2 ceramic prepared through reactive synthesis. Mater Design. 2015;79:94−98.
25.
ZhangHB, ShenSY, LiuXL, Oxidation behavior of porous Ti3SiC2 prepared by reactive synthesis. T Nonferr Metal Soc. 2018;28:1774–1783.
26.
BilgeYI, ErhanA.Evaluation of properties of spark plasma sintered Ti3SiC2 and Ti3SiC2/SiC composites. Ceram Int. 2019;45:12297–12306.
27.
ApurvD, YooS J, RobertV, Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 MAX phase powder by a molten salt shielded synthesis (MS3) method in air. J Eur Ceram Soc. 2019;39:3651–3659.
28.
XueG, WangJX, YangSY, Preparation of Ti3SiC2 powders by the molten salt method. Mater Lett. 2013;111:211–213.
29.
GaoK, WangKF, LiSD.Optimum synthesis and electrochemical properties of Li2FeSiO4 cathode for lithium-ion battery prepared by a molten salt assisted method. Polyhedron. 2019;166:28–35.
30.
FuJ, BaiY, LiuAY, Physical characteristic study of LiCoO2 prepared by molten salt synthesis method in 550–800°C. Mater Chem Phys. 2009;115:105–109.
31.
WangYG, MaJF, TaoJT, Synthesis of CaWO4 nanoparticles by a molten salt method. Mater Lett. 2006;60:291–293.
32.
XuaB, ChenQ, LiX, Synthesis of single-phase Ti3SiC2 from coarse elemental powders and the effects of excess Al. Ceram Int. 2019;45:948–953.
33.
LiuJM, WangT, GaoQW, Effect of NaF content on the preparation of zirconia whiskers by molten salt method. Adv Powder Technol. 2021;32:998–1003.
