Titanium carbide and titanium carbonitride obtained by chemical vapor deposition from orgranometallic precursor in the range 450-800°C

Abstract
Titanium carbide coatings have been deposited on steel in cold wall reactor from titanocene dichloride vaporized in a hydrogen carrier gas. Titanium carbonitride was obtained in the same experimental device by addition of ammonia in the gas phase. These materials were deposited at atmospheric pressure in the temperature range 450-800 °C with appreciable deposition rates. According to the temperature range of vaporization of the solid precursor, the deposition proceeded from the gaseous species coming either form the direct sublimation of the initial molecule or from a vaporization of by-products resulting from its decomposition in the vaporization crucible. Thes two basic vaporization precesses resulted in coatings of different compositions and properties. Several characterizations such as thickness of the deposit, surface morphology, composition, grain size, hardness and adherence were carried out.