Synthesis of Ti–Al Intermetallic Compound Fine Powder Using Shuttle Reactions of Titanium Ions in the Molten Salt

A novel synthesis method of Ti–Al powder was developed based on the shuttle of disproportionation and proportionation reactions of titanium ions in various molten salts. Fine Ti–Al intermetallic compound powder was successfully synthesized from bulk metals of titanium and aluminum as raw materials. Uniform Ti–Al intermetallic compound powder in the form of TiAl₃ was obtained at temperatures lower than 600 °C, while in the form of mixture of TiAl₂ and TiAl₃ was obtained at temperatures higher than 650 °C. The obtained intermetallic powders in the size of micrometer scale are agglomerated by numerous primary particles with size of several tens of nanometers. The addition of AlCl₃ into the reaction solvent does not change the compound phase of the Ti–Al powder but promotes the growth of the primary particles. The phase of the Ti–Al intermetallic compound powders only depends on the reaction temperature in various solvent salts with the different equilibrium constants of disproportionation reaction.