Titanium carbide

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CASNo = 12070-08-5
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Formula = TiC
MolarMass = 59.89 g/mol
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Density = 4.93 g/cm³
MeltingPt = 3160 °C
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Titanium carbide, TiC, is an extremely hard (Mohs 9-9.5) refractory ceramic material, similar to tungsten carbide.

It is commercially used in tool bits cutting tools. It has the appearance of black powder with NaCl-type face centered cubic crystal structure. It is mainly used in preparation of cermets, which are frequently used to machine steel materials at high cutting speed.

The resistance to wear, corrosion, and oxidation of a tungsten carbide-cobalt material can be increased by adding 6-30% of titanium carbide to tungsten carbide. This forms a solid solution that is more brittle and susceptible to breakage than the original material.

Tool bits without tungsten content can be made of titanium carbide in nickel-cobalt matrix cermet, enhancing the cutting speed, precision, and smoothness of the workpiece. This material is sometimes called high-tech ceramics and is used as a heat shield for atmospheric re-entry of space shuttles and similar vehicles. The substance may be also polished and used in scratch-proof watches.

It can be etched by reactive ion etching processes.

The mineralogical form is very rare and called khamrabaevite - (Ti,V,Fe)C.