Plasmodynamic synthesis of ultrafine crystalline phases in the Ti–C–N system

This paper shows the possibility of using the plasmodynamic method for synthesizing ultrafine powders of the Ti–C–N system using different techniques for introducing a precursor. The synthesized powder is analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. It is found that the main phase in the synthesized products is monocrystalline cubic titanium carbide TiC independent of the technique of C and N precursor feed and the external gas atmosphere (argon or nitrogen). At the same time, the highest content of TiC phase is about 90.0%, and this value was reached by the synthesis in an argon atmosphere, while in the experiments in a nitrogen atmosphere the predominant yield of ternary phases in the Ti–C–N system is provided.