Abstract

A self-propagating high temperature (SHS) reaction involving aluminum (Al), anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) and anhydrous boron oxide (B2O3) forms alpha-alumina (Al2O3) and titanium diboride (TiB2) as final products. SHS reaction progresses rapidly to equilibrium state. Al is oxidized to Al2O3 while TiO2 is reduced. Morphology of the products in the Al-TiO2-B2O3 system after SHS reaction is different than from a slower heating rate reaction. In the present study, samples of TiO2 and Al are exposed to elevated temperature under isothermal conditions and the reaction products compared to those exposed to the same temperature but at different heating rates. Possible compounds/phases formed at the region of interface between the two reacting systems have been investigated. The possibility of formation of metastable phases has been investigated. X-ray diffraction has been used to determine the structural changes while the sample is heated to elevated temperature at various heating rates. Morphology of the interface between the reacting surfaces is studied.

 

Biography

Jairaj Payyapilly was born in Kerala, India in 1977. He completed his high school in Mumbai. He joined the Govt. College of Engineering, Pune where he graduated with Bachelors in Metallurgical Engineering in 2000. He spent a year at the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India where he worked on synthesis of PbTiO3 (lead titanate) thin film on titanium substrate. He worked towards understanding the high temperature-pressure tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in the zirconia-yttria system as part of his research for the Master of Science at University of Florida. He further studied the effects of alloying SiC with Al, B and C towards the mechanical properties of SiC for armor applications. He is currently involved with studying SHS reactions and controlling the reaction kinetics as part of his research and dissertation for PhD under the supervision of Dr. K. V. Logan.