The effect of NiO catalyst on reduction, synthesis and binder content of TiC-Ni nanocomposite

In the present study, synthesis of TiC-Ni nanocomposite via magnesiothermic method was investigated. The effects of catalyst content on the mechanisms of TiO2 reduction and synthesis of TiC-Ni nanocomposite were evaluated. For this purpose, the powder mixture was milled at different NiO content. By adding 0.1–0.3 at.% NiO to the mixture and milling after combustion, it was found that the synthesis did not completely occur. In 0.4 at.% NiO to the mixture, the synthesis was completed and after leaching pure TiC was synthesis. Additionally, the effect of NiO on the binder content composite synthesis was examined. It was observed by increasing NiO content, combustion time decreased and Ni content in nanocomposite increased. TEM observations confirmed for 0.4 at.% NiO at initial powder pour TiC with spherical morphology and for >0.5 at.% NiO at initial powder TiC-Ni nanocomposite with semi- spherical morphology was synthesis. •TiC-Ni nanocomposite was prepared by magnesiothermic reaction with 64 ± 2 nm size.•TEM images confirmed that the obtained pure TiC had spherical morphology.•It was found that NiO acted as both catalyst and binder of TiC-Ni nanocomposite.•By increasing the NiO content from 0 to 0.4 pure TiC was obtained.•Pure TiC and TiC-Ni nanocomposite were produced by NiO = 0.4 and Ni > 0.4, respectively.