FORMATION OF TITANIUM CARBIDE FROM ILMENITE CONCENTRATES IN A THERMALPLASMA REACTOR

Formation of fine titanium carbide power, using ilmenite concentrate a nd methane as feed, in a thermal plasma reactor was investigated. The plasma torch was operated using argon-helium and argon-nitrogen mixtur es as plasma gases. Different molar ratios of ilmenite concentrate and methane were used to study the yield of titanium carbide. The highest overall conversion of ilmenite to titanium carbide was 96%. The powde rs produced were subjected to physical and chemical characterization b y various analytical techniques. The results of this investigation sho w the possibility of developing a new process to obtain valuable ceram ic materials using minerals directly as raw materials.