Interaction between titanium and carbon at moderate temperatures

The examination of numerous studies devoted to titanium-carbon interactions shows that most domains of investigation are related to high temperatures (above 800degreesC), for which the diffusion of carbon within titanium is mainly controlled by carbon diffusion through titanium carbide. In order to understand the phenomena of Ti-C interaction at moderate temperatures, Ti-coated carbon disks prepared by PVD were heat treated under vacuum at temperatures in the range of 400-750degreesC, and analysed mainly by RBS. At low temperatures and for short isothermal exposure, the formation of a titanium carbide interphase is discontinuous and controlled by the diffusivity of C in Ti. As soon as a continuous titanium carbide layer is formed between C and Ti, the interaction is controlled by the kinetics of diffusion of C in titanium carbide. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.