The structure and properties of titanium nitride and its application

Overview of Titanium Nitride

Titanium nitride (TiN) is a very hard ceramic material, usually used as a coating for titanium alloys, steel, carbides and aluminum components to improve the surface properties of the substrate. The Vickers hardness of TiN is 1800-2100, The elastic modulus is 251 GPa, the thermal expansion coefficient is 9.35×10-6 K-1, and the superconducting transition temperature is 5.6K.

The chemical properties of nitrogen are very stable, but under certain special conditions, nitrogen can form nitrides with many elements. Among these nitrides, transition metal nitride-titanium nitride (TiN) has become the focus of research. Titanium nitride is a structural material with attractive golden color, high melting point, high hardness, excellent chemical stability and low wettability to metals, and has high conductivity and superconductivity. It can be applied to high-temperature structural materials and superconducting materials.

1. The structure and properties of titanium nitride

TiN has a typical NaCl-type structure and belongs to a face-centered cubic lattice. The top of the face-centered cube is the nitrogen atom, and the titanium atom is located at the (1/2,0,0) spatial position of the face-centered cube. TiN is a non-stoichiometric compound, and its stable composition range is TiN0.6~TiN1.16. The content of nitrogen can be changed within a specific range without causing changes in the structure of TiN. The tiN powder is usually yellowish-brown, the ultrafine TiN powder is black, and TiN crystals are golden yellow. The lattice constant of TiN is a = 4.23 nm. The mesh constant of TiC is a = 4.238 nm, and the lattice constant of TiO2 is a = 4.15 nm. The lattice parameters of these three substances are very close, so the nitrogen in the TiN molecule. Atoms can be replaced by oxygen and carbon atoms in any ratio to form a reliable solution. The content of nitrogen determines the physical and chemical properties of titanium nitride. When the nitrogen content decreases, the lattice parameter of titanium nitride increases and the hardness will also increase microscopically, but the impact resistance of titanium nitride decreases.

The physical properties of titanium nitride: melting point 2950.6~3205.8°C, linear expansion coefficient 5.712~7.053×106 (1/K) (25°C), density 5.435~5.447g/cm3, thermal conductivity 25.081 (W•m -1•K) -1) (300~2000℃), Mohs hardness is 8~9. Generally, the color of titanium nitride powder is yellowish-brown, black is ultrafine titanium nitride powder, and yellow is titanium nitride crystal. A large number of aggregated titanium nitride crystals have a golden metallic luster. The chemical properties of titanium nitride: relatively stable, it does not react with water and acids (hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid), but it can be mixed into hydrofluoric acid. If the hydrofluoric acid contains an oxidizing agent, the titanium nitride will be completely dissolved in the hydrofluoric acid.

2. The application of titanium nitride has good physical and chemical properties, such as high melting point, good chemical stability, high hardness, good electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and optical properties, making it very important in various fields, especially It is in the emerging field. Types are in the field of cermets and gold ornaments. The industrial demand for titanium nitride powder is increasing. As a coating, titanium nitride is cheap, wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant, and its many properties are better than vacuum coatings. The application prospect of titanium nitride is broad.

Application of titanium nitride

Titanium Nitride (TiN) is a fairly stable compound that will not react with metals such as iron, chromium, calcium and magnesium at high temperatures. TiN crucibles will not react with acidic slag and alkaline slag under CO and N2 atmospheres. Therefore, TiN crucible is TiN is an excellent container for studying the interaction between molten steel and certain elements. TiN will lose nitrogen when heated in a vacuum and produce titanium nitride with lower nitrogen content.

TiN has an attractive golden color, high melting point, high hardness, good chemical stability, low wettability to metals, high conductivity and superconductivity, and can be used for high-temperature structural materials and superconducting materials.

Titanium nitride is a hard ceramic material used for coating titanium alloy, steel, hard alloy, and aluminum parts. Because of its golden yellow surface, it can be used for jewelry and high-performance ceramic materials, as well as scalpels and orthopedic bone, saw blades, and other medical equipment. In addition, it is also used as a conductive barrier for microelectronics and electrodes in bioelectronic applications.

TiN is used as a thin coating to harden and protect cutting and sliding surfaces, for decorative purposes (due to its golden appearance), and as the non-toxic exterior of medical implants. In most applications, the applied 

thickness is less than 5 microns (0.00020 inches). TiN is usually used in steel, hardened steel, and stainless steel that require high wear resistance and lubricity. TiN is used in physical vapor deposition An important material for the coating, very suitable for applications that use expensive tools (such as injection molding, sawing, tapping) and molding).

The coating is also used in many medical (implants, surgical instruments, etc.) and food processing applications. TiN can be easily peeled and recoated, and can also be peeled and recoated.

Manufacturing plastic packaging materials, such as PET bottles.

In the solar vacuum tube, the absorbed sunlight is very large.

The high-temperature furnace is used for energy consumption.

Making prostheses, biological materials.

Manufacturing optical equipment in harsh environments.

Used as alloy modifier in cemented carbide.

Mainly used in the following aspects

(1) Titanium nitride has high biocompatibility and can be used in clinical medicine and stomatology.

(2) Titanium nitride has a low coefficient of friction and can be used as a high-temperature lubricant.

(3) Titanium nitride has a metallic luster, which can be used as a simulated gold decoration material and has a good application prospect in the gold decoration industry; titanium nitride can also be used as a gold coating in the jewelry industry; it can be used as a potential substitute for WC Materials, greatly reducing the application cost of materials.

4) With superior hardness and wear resistance, it can be used to develop new tools. Compared with ordinary carbide tools, this new type of equipment has significantly improved durability and service life.

(5) Titanium nitride is a new type of multifunctional ceramic material. Adding a certain amount of titanium nitride to the TiC-Mo-Ni series of cermets will significantly refine the hard phase grains so that the physical properties of the ceramics have broad performance at room temperature or high-temperature conditions. The improvement of the degree greatly improves the high-temperature corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance of the cermet. Adding TiN powder to ceramics in a specific proportion can enhance the strength, toughness, and hardness of the ceramics. Add nano-titanium nitride to the InN / Al2O3 multiphase nano-ceramics, and mix them uniformly through various methods (such as mechanical mixing). The resulting ceramic material containing nano titanium nitride particles forms a conductive network.

(6) Adding a certain amount of TiN to the magnesia carbon brick can significantly improve the slag resistance of the magnesia carbon brick.

(7) Titanium nitride is an excellent structural material, which can be used in steam jet thrusters and rockets. In the field of bearings and sealing rings, titanium nitride alloys are also used, highlighting the excellent application effects of titanium nitride.

(8) Because titanium nitride has excellent conductivity, it can be made into various materials, such as electrodes and point contacts.

(9) Titanium nitride has a high superconducting critical temperature and can be used as an excellent superconducting material.

(10) The melting point of titanium nitride is higher than that of most transition metal nitrides, and its density is lower than that of most metal nitrides, so it becomes a unique refractory material.

(11) Titanium nitride can be coated on glass in the form of a thin film. When the infrared reflectance is higher than 75%, when the thickness of the titanium nitride film is larger than 90 nm, the heat insulation performance of the glass can be effectively improved. Moreover, adjusting the percentage of nitrogen in the titanium nitride can change the color of the titanium nitride film to obtain a desired aesthetic effect.

The price of titanium nitride

The price of titanium nitride will vary randomly with the production cost, transportation cost, international situation, and market supply and demand of titanium nitride. Tanki New Materials Co.,Ltd aims to help all industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality products by providing a full set of customized services. Services, low-cost nanomaterials, and chemicals. If you are looking for titanium nitride, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest price.

Suppliers of Titanium Nitride

As a global titanium nitride supplier, Tanki New Materials Co.,Ltd has extensive experience in the performance, application, and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced and engineered materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (titanium nitride, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, etc.), high-purity targets, functional ceramics, and structural devices, and provides OEM services.