Glossary

Titanium carbide (TiC) is a hard, refractory ceramic compound formed from titanium and carbon. It belongs to the family of transition metal carbides and is known for its extreme hardness, high melting point, and resistance to wear and corrosion. These properties make TiC an important material in industries that require durable, heat-resistant components such as cutting tools, coatings, and high-performance composites.

The material has a crystalline structure similar to sodium chloride, where carbon atoms fit into the spaces between titanium atoms. This arrangement produces very strong atomic bonds, which give TiC a hardness of about 9–9.5 on the Mohs scale. It also has an exceptionally high melting point of around 3,160 °C (5,720 °F). Titanium carbide is highly resistant to oxidation and chemical attack even at elevated temperatures. Its density, approximately 4.9 g/cm³, makes it heavier than boron carbide but still lighter than tungsten carbide, giving it a useful balance of hardness and weight.

Titanium carbide is produced by reacting titanium dioxide (TiO₂) with carbon, usually graphite, at extremely high temperatures in an inert or reducing atmosphere. The resulting TiC can be manufactured as a powder and then sintered into solid shapes, or it can be deposited as a thin coating using methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD). These different production techniques make it possible to use TiC both as a bulk material and as a surface treatment.

The applications of TiC are diverse. It is widely used in cutting tools, often combined with tungsten carbide (WC) and cobalt, to improve wear resistance and reduce tool chipping. As a protective coating, TiC is applied to tool surfaces and machine parts to extend their service life and enhance hardness. In abrasive applications, it is incorporated into grinding wheels and wear parts that must withstand high friction. In aerospace and defense industries, TiC is valued for its ability to maintain stability and strength at extremely high temperatures. It is also used in ceramics and composite materials to enhance toughness, hardness, and resistance to wear.

Titanium carbide provides many advantages, including extreme hardness, high wear resistance, excellent thermal stability, and strong resistance to corrosion and chemical attack. It significantly improves the durability and performance of cutting tools and industrial components, especially when combined with other carbides. However, it also has limitations. Like many ceramics, it is brittle and can crack under shock or impact loads. It is also more expensive to produce and machine than conventional metals. For these reasons, TiC is most often used in coatings or composites rather than as a standalone structural material.