Synthesis of a cubic Ti(BCN) advanced ceramic by a solid-gas mechanochemical reaction

In this work, a titanium boron carbonitride advanced ceramic was successfully synthesised by a solid-gas mechanochemical reaction in a planetary ball mill from a mixture of elemental Ti, B, and C under nitrogen atmosphere. This material, with a general formula of Ti(BCN), exhibits a face-centred cubic structure (NaCl type) that is analogous to Ti(CN). This phase was gradually formed with sufficient milling time as a result of diffusional processes, which were permitted by the reduction of the energy in the system caused by the decrease in the spinning rate of the planetary ball mill. In contrast, under more energetic milling conditions, a mechanically induced self-sustaining reaction (MSR) took place, leading to the formation of a TiB2-Ti(CN) ceramic composite. The microstructural characterisation revealed that Ti(BCN) was composed of ceramic particles constituted of misoriented nanocrystalline domains. B, C and N were optimally distributed in the Ti(BCN) phase. The TiB2-Ti(CN) ceramic composite was composed of micrometric and nanometric particles homogeneously distributed. Additionally, the nitrogen content obtained for Ti(BCN) was higher than for the Ti(CN) phase in the composite material.