Synthesis of titanium oxycarbide in TiO2-C-H2 system.

Titanium oxycarbide can be used as a soluble anode to produce sponge titanium in USTB or MER molten salt electrolysis process. However, the key factor of these two processes is to prepare oxycarbide with appropriate C/O ratio and at a low cost as well. This work reported a simple method of preparing titanium oxycarbide from TiO 2 in C-H 2 system. Based on the prediction of thermodynamic calculations, titanium oxycarbide was prepared successfully at 1400 °C with the molar ratio of TiO 2 to carbon exceeding 1:2, and the ideal electrolytic anode (TiC 0.5 O 0.5) was produced at 1400 °C (with a ratio of 1:3 of TiO 2 to carbon). Number of parameters (carbon content, temperature, sample's mass, additive (Fe element), and with ball milling treatment) were considered and discussed in the current study. Furthermore, this method can reduce not only the reaction temperature and time, but also the emission of carbon dioxide. • Titanium Oxycarbide with controllable C/O ratio was produced by considering number of parameters in TiO 2 -C-H 2 System. • The ideal electrolytic anode (TiC 0.5 O 0.5) can be produced when the ratio of TiO 2 to carbon is 1:3 at 1400 °C. • The reaction temperature, the usage and emission of carbon were reduced by introducing clean energy (H 2). • The reaction mechanism was discussed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]