Structure, Properties, and Applications of Titanium Nitride Powder

Structure and Properties of Titanium Nitride Powder

Titanium nitride powder has a typical NaCl-type structure, belonging to a face-centered cubic lattice where nitrogen atoms are located at the vertices of the face-centered cube, and titanium atoms are positioned at the (1/2,0,0) spatial location. Titanium nitride powder is a non-stoichiometric compound, with a stable composition range of TiN₀.₆ to TiN₁.₁₆. The nitrogen content can vary within a certain range without affecting the structural stability of the titanium nitride powder.

Titanium nitride powder is usually yellow-brown, ultra-fine titanium nitride powder is black, and titanium nitride powder crystals exhibit a golden yellow luster. Due to its lattice constant (a=4.23 nm) being similar to TiC (a=4.238 nm) and TiO (a=4.15 nm), the nitrogen atoms in the titanium nitride powder molecules can be replaced by oxygen or carbon atoms to form solid solutions.

The physical and chemical properties of titanium nitride powder are mainly influenced by the nitrogen content. When the nitrogen content decreases, its lattice parameter increases conversely, while hardness slightly improves, but shock resistance relatively decreases. Therefore, in different application fields, the composition of titanium nitride powder needs to be precisely adjusted to obtain the best performance.

Applications of Titanium Nitride Powder

Imitation Gold Decoration Materials

Due to its golden-yellow metallic luster, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance, titanium nitride powder is widely used in the gold imitation decoration industry. For instance, titanium nitride powder films can be used in jewelry, watches, architectural decorations, etc., providing products with a gold-like appearance while reducing costs.

Tools and Cutting Tools

With extremely high hardness and wear resistance, titanium nitride powder can be used as a coating for new tool materials. For example, tools coated with titanium nitride powder significantly enhance durability and lifespan compared to conventional hard alloy tools, and are widely used in metal cutting, drilling, and milling processes.

Metal Ceramics and Structural Ceramics

Titanium nitride powder is an important metal ceramic material. Adding titanium nitride powder to the TiC-Mo-Ni metal ceramic system can significantly refine the hard phase grain size, improving the high-temperature corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance of the metal ceramic. Additionally, adding titanium nitride powder nanoparticles to TiN/Al₂O₃ composite nanoceramics can form a conductive network, enabling its application in the manufacture of electronic components in the semiconductor industry.

Refractory Materials

Titanium nitride powder has a higher melting point than most transition metal nitrides and a lower density, making it an excellent refractory material. For example, adding a certain amount of titanium nitride powder to magnesia-carbon bricks can significantly enhance their slag resistance, thereby improving their stability in high-temperature environments.

Aerospace and High-End Manufacturing

Due to its excellent high-temperature stability and mechanical properties, titanium nitride powder can be used in jet propulsion, rocket engines, aerospace engines, and other high-end manufacturing fields. Titanium nitride powder alloys are also widely used in high-load mechanical components such as bearings and sealing rings to enhance their wear resistance and fatigue resistance.

With its exceptional physical and chemical properties, titanium nitride powder has shown extensive application value in multiple fields. From medical and bioengineering to high-end manufacturing, from tools and ceramics to electronic components, the application prospects of titanium nitride powder are very broad. With continuous technological advancements, the production processes of titanium nitride powder will further optimize, allowing it to play important roles in more emerging fields.