A facile synthesis of TiB2 nano-particles via mechano-thermal route

A mixture of TiO2, B2O3 and Si powders was milled up to 50 h using a high energy planetary ball mill. The milling products were heat treated at 850, 1200 and 1300 degrees C. Effects of Si content and addition of catalyst on the phase evolutions and morphology of the products were investigated. XRD results showed that phase composition of the 50 h milled sample after heat treatment at 1300 degrees C consists of nano-crystalline TiB2 with mean crystallite size of 50 nm together with some Ti2O3, Si and SiO2 phases. Addition of 2 mol of NaCl in the same sample facilitates the process and resulted in the single phase TiB2 with a mean crystallite size of 30 nm. SEM and TEM micrographs exhibited the nano-sized particles of TiB2. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.