Synthesis and Characterization of Ti N ‐coated Cubic Boron Nitride Powders

Titanium nitride‐coated cubic boron nitride ( T i N /c BN ) composite powders were prepared by nitridizing T i O ₂ /c BN powders in a NH ₃ flow at 950°C. The T i O ₂ /c BN powders were synthesized via a sol‐gel process using tetra‐butyl titanate and concentrated‐ HNO ₃ ‐treated BN powders as starting materials. The techniques of XRD , SEM , TEM , FT ‐ IR , and TG ‐ DTA were used to characterize the products and their intermediates. The c BN powders were uniformly coated with T i N nanoparticles. During the nitridization, the morphology of the T i O ₂ /c BN powders is unchanged. The T i N /c BN powders can be used as starting materials to prepare polycrystalline c BN compacts, or as reinforcements to strengthen metal‐matrix composites.