EFFECTS OF PROCESS CONTROL AGENT ADDITION IN PROCESSING OF NANO-CRYSTALLINE TiB2 VIA SHS METHOD

Nano-crystalline titanium diboride ( TiB 2 ) was prepared by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis through putting a hot filament on top of the compact mixture of TiO 2 , H 3 BO 3 and Mg with a stoichiometric ratio. Effects of the addition of various chloride salts e.g. NaClO 4 and NH 4 Cl as process control agents on phase evolution and chemical analysis and the morphology of the products were investigated by XRD and SEM techniques, respectively. Analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of TiB 2 together with some intermediate phases such as Mg 3 B 2 O 6 and Mg 2 TiO 4 in as synthesized powder. MgO phase was detected as a major phase in the XRD patterns. Nano-crystalline TiB 2 became the major phase in some of the leached samples by HCl . The results also showed that the powder particle characteristics were influenced by the addition of the chloride salts.