Formation of titanium nitrides via wet reaction ball milling

A new mechanochemical route to synthesize TiN has been developed by ball milling elemental titanium powders with the organic compound pyrazine in a benzene solution for periods of up to 336 h. The structures of the milled powders were examined by means of X-ray diffractometry. Titanium nitrides were formed directly during the milling. Unlike the dry ball-milling process, the present wet milling resulted in the formation of an intermediate titanium nitride Ti2N which has never been found in previous studies using dry milling. With increasing milling time, Ti2N was observed to gradually transform into the stoichiometric compound TiN. Upon heating, the Ti2N formed during milling was completely transformed to TiN. The intrinsic mechanisms of the solid–liquid reactions are discussed.