A new consumable anode material of titanium oxycarbonitride for the USTB titanium process

Abstract

A single phase titanium oxycarbonitride TiC_0.25O_0.25N_0.5 was prepared by sintering a homogenous mixture of TiO, TiC and TiN with a molar ratio of 1 : 1 : 2 by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1873 K. TiO_0.25C_0.25N_0.5 was then used as the consumable anode for the USTB titanium process and the anode dissolution process was investigated by electrochemical methods. The results showed that TiO_0.25C_0.25N_0.5 was electrochemically dissolved into Ti²⁺ in the NaCl–KCl melts as determined by square-wave voltammetry analysis and simultaneously CO as well as N₂ evolved in the anode as detected by mass spectroscopy. And TiO_0.25C_0.25N_0.5 has exhibited a similar electron transfer resistance as TiC_0.5O_0.5 and TiN as measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. By galvanostatic electrolysis, the cathode products were proved to be pure titanium powders. The results indicated that TiO_0.25C_0.25N_0.5 is a suitable consumable anode for the USTB titanium process.