Titanium nitride nanopowders produced via sodium reductionin liquid ammonia

Titanium nitride nanopowders were synthesized through a chemical reduction of titanium tetrachloride by sodium in liquid ammonia. The products of the reaction were the mixture of sodium chloride and titanium nitride nanopowders. The mixture was then separated by ammonia extraction. The nanopowders were heated under vacuum up to 1200 °C and were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area measurement, and chemical analysis. The results show that the product is nanocrystalline cubic phase TiN with Ti/N atomic ratio performed 1:1, and the surface area is from 20 to 50 m²·g⁻¹depending on the heating temperature. The particle sizes estimated by the TEM analysis correspond well with the results of the surface area measurements. The XRD pattern indicates that the crystal size grows with an increase in heating temperature.