Catalytic effects of metals of the iron subgroup on the chlorination of titanium carbide to form nanostructural carbon

Abstract The effect of the reaction temperature and the metals of an iron subgroup on the thermo–chemical treatment of titanium carbide with a chlorine gas and their influence on the carbon structure obtained thereby was studied. Different analytical methods such as porosity measurements, X-ray diffraction spectrometry and a high-resolution electron microscopy revealed the catalytic behaviour of the above-mentioned metals, which appeared to support the formation of graphitised carbon at much lower temperatures compared to those needed for the ordinary thermo–chemical chlorination of titanium carbide.