Kinetics of thermal oxidation of titanium carbide and its carbon nano-composites in dry air atmosphere

Results of research work on oxidation of TiC/C nano-composites in air and under non-isothermal conditions are presented. The oxidation of nano-crystalline titanium carbide as well as its carbon composites were studied using TG-DSC method in dry air atmosphere. The investigated samples were as follows: commercial TiC nano-powders from Alfa Aesar (80 nm) and carbon composites including nano-crystalline TiC (30 nm and 50, 10, 3 mass% of carbon in matrix). The measurements were executed in the Setaram thermoanalyser TG-DSC 92-15 in non-isothermal conditions, with mass samples of 30 +/- 0.2 mg and constant heating rate in the range 2-10 K min(-1). During the oxidation experiments the heat flux (HF), thermogravimetric and derivative thermogravimetric curves were recorded. The g(alpha) functions (kinetic models), kinetic parameters of the Arrhenius equation A and E, dependencies of conversion degree on time were determined. Comparison of oxidation rates of different TiC nanomaterials was made.