Effect of NaCl on the synthesis of TiB2 powder by a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technique

The self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) of sub-micrometer-sized TiB2 powders were investigated by igniting the stoichiometric mixture of TiO2, H3BO3, and Mg powders and with the addition of different percentages of NaCl as SHS diluents in a resistance-heating furnace. The combustion reaction carried out in inert atmosphere (Ar) showed the SHS ignition at a temperature ≈680 °C. The samples were investigated by XRD, SEM/EDS, and TEM/EDS during different stages of synthesis. The addition of diluents reduced the grain growth of particle possibly by reducing the adiabatic temperatures and giving a coating on the TiB2 particles.