Titanium carbide

This article is about bulk material. For titanium-carbon clusters, see metallocarbohedryne.

Titanium carbide

Identifiers
CAS Number	12070-08-5 Y
Properties
Chemical formula	TiC
Molar mass	59.89 g/mol
Appearance	black powder
Density	4.93 g/cm3
Melting point	3,160 °C (5,720 °F; 3,430 K)
Boiling point	4,820 °C (8,710 °F; 5,090 K)
Solubility in water	insoluble in water
Structure
Crystal structure	Cubic, cF8
Space group	Fm3m, No. 225
Coordination geometry	Octahedral
Vapor pressure	{{{value}}}
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

Titanium carbide, TiC, is an extremely hard (Mohs 9-9.5) refractory ceramic material, similar to tungsten carbide. It has the appearance of black powder with the sodium chloride (face-centered cubic) crystal structure. It occurs in nature as a form of the very rare mineral khamrabaevite - (Ti,V,Fe)C.

Titanium carbide is used in preparation of cermets, which are frequently used to machine steel materials at high cutting speed. It is also used as an abrasion-resistant surface coating on metal parts, such as tool bits and watch mechanisms. Titanium carbide is also used as a heat shield coating for atmospheric reentry of spacecraft.

Physical Properties

Titanium carbide has an elastic modulus of approximately 400 GPa and a shear modulus of 188 GPa.

Manufacturing and machining

Tool bits without tungsten content can be made of titanium carbide in nickel-cobalt matrix cermet, enhancing the cutting speed, precision, and smoothness of the workpiece.

The resistance to wear, corrosion, and oxidation of a tungsten carbide-cobalt material can be increased by adding 6-30% of titanium carbide to tungsten carbide. This forms a solid solution that is more brittle and susceptible to breakage.

Titanium carbide can be etched with reactive-ion etching.

See also

• Metallocarbohedryne, a family of metal-carbon clusters including Ti
  ₈C
  ₁₂.