Nano-atomization of titanium diboride using ordered mixture and metallothermic reaction methods

The effects of the ordered mixture and metallothermic reaction methods for the preparation of titanium diboride were investigated on the atomization of the boride in its production process with titanium oxide contained in wasted paints as the starting material. The metallothermic reaction method allowed the production of highly pure titanium diboride even when titanium oxide recovered from the wasted paints was used, instead of pure titanium oxide. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the titanium diboride particles obtained were hexagonal plate-like nanoparticles. The ordered mixture method when adopted in the mixing process of starting powders improved the atomization of titanium diboride and the reaction efficiency in the purifying process. Titanium diboride paint film strength tests with an ultramicrohardness meter revealed that titanium diboride produced from recovered titanium oxide considerably strengthened the paint film as pure titanium oxide does.