Titanium Carbide Coating on Graphene Nanoplatelets

Abstract

Titanium carbide was formed on graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) using potassium hexa-fluorotitanate (K2TiF6) salt in the presence of pure aluminium. K2TiF6 - GNPs mixture with titanium to carbon ratio of 5:1 was heated at a high temperature of 900 °C for 1 h under argon atmosphere. Energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated the presence of elemental titanium on the surface of GNPs, while the presence of titanium carbide was verified by X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the morphology of titanium carbide-coated nanoplatelets embedded in aluminium melt. Thermal characterisation was carried out by differential scanning calorimetry to identify the reaction kinetics and products of the reactions. This facile process to coat titanium carbide on GNPs offers a possibility to reduce the wettability issues of GNPs in the aluminium matrix and enhance the dispersion with an opportunity to prepare hybrid aluminium matrix composites. The present study deals with in-situ synthesis of titanium carbide on GNPs, which aims to prepare nano-reinforced hybrid reinforcement aluminium matrix composite.