Electrolytic synthesis of TiC/SiC nanocomposites from high titanium slag in molten salt

The molten salt electrolytic method for the preparation of titanium carbide and silicon carbide composites has been subjected to a systematic investigation by experimental analyses and thermodynamic calculations . It has been confirmed that the electrolysis of high titanium slag in the presence of mixed graphite powders generates intermediates CaTiO 3 , Ti 2 O 3 , TiO, Fe 3 Si and objective carbonous products TiC/SiC. It has been furthermore found that the deoxidization process depends critically on a number of process parameters, namely, electrolyte composition, graphitic regime, reaction temperature, cell voltage and reaction time. After careful optimization of these parameters, TiC/SiC nanocomposites with particle sizes of 10–174   nm has been produced by electrolysis of high titanium slag and graphite mixtures in molar ratio of 1:2 referred to Ti:C under 3.2   V at 900   °C for 6   h in 1   mol%CaO-CaCl 2 -NaCl molten salt and with particle sizes of 12   nm~207   nm in 1   mol%CaO-CaCl 2 electrolyte.