{
  "spore": "profile",
  "id": "titanium-carbide",
  "spore_version": "0.2",
  "family": "carbide-nitride-boride-ceramics",
  "name": "Titanium carbide",
  "abbreviation": "TiC",
  "role": "hard refractory carbide for cermet cutting tools, wear coatings and bearing surfaces",
  "category": "ceramics",
  "type": "carbides",
  "summary": "Titanium carbide is a titanium-carbon compound, TiC, with a cubic rock-salt structure (Fm-3m, JMST 2018). NIST-JANAF gives a standard enthalpy of formation of -184.096 kJ/mol at 298.15 K for the crystalline solid. WebQC prints a density of 4.9300 g/cm3 and a melting point of 3160.00 °C, but the JANAF table places the crystal-to-liquid transition at 3290 K, so the two melting figures are kept side by side. A Fraunhofer kinetic study finds that TiC particles in air begin to lose their carbide intensity above 225 °C and convert to rutile TiO2, and that the reaction in oxygen runs in steps from about 482 °C.\n",
  "best_for": "Hard wear coatings and bearing surfaces (NASA records of 1980 and 1988), and cermet cutting tools with a carbide or carbonitride hard phase (Kennametal patent)",
  "weakest_at": "Oxidation in air above about 225 °C, and a flammable, dust-explosive powder (NextSDS H228; ICSC 1319). Hardness, thermal conductivity and thermal expansion of monolithic TiC are not sourced in this file",
  "identity": {
    "formula": "TiC, titanium carbide: a 1:1 titanium-carbon compound with a cubic rock-salt (NaCl-type) structure (Wikipedia, composition only; JMST 2018 gives Fm-3m)",
    "cas": "12070-08-5",
    "crystal_system": "cubic",
    "space_group": "Fm-3m",
    "designations": [],
    "source": "janaf-tic",
    "where": "NIST-JANAF C-index, row 12070-08-5 CTi, Titanium Carbide (cr); table C-107 title line"
  },
  "tags": {
    "environments": [],
    "stresses": [
      "extreme-heat"
    ],
    "applications": [
      "mechanisms"
    ]
  },
  "properties": [
    {
      "benchmark": "molar_heat_capacity",
      "label": "Molar heat capacity Cp, TiC, 298.15 K",
      "value": 33.807,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "J K-1 mol-1",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "298.15 K",
        "reference_state": "standard state pressure 0.1 MPa",
        "phase": "crystalline (cr)"
      },
      "method": "JANAF table value at 298.15 K; molar, so not converted to the canonical specific heat (no molar mass conversion applied in this file)",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "janaf-tic",
      "where": "Titanium Carbide (TiC) table C-107, row 298.15, Cp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
        "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "NIST public data"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "molar_heat_capacity",
      "label": "Molar heat capacity Cp, TiC, 1000 K",
      "value": 51.179,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "J K-1 mol-1",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "1000 K",
        "reference_state": "standard state pressure 0.1 MPa",
        "phase": "crystalline (cr)"
      },
      "method": "JANAF table value at 1000 K, read from the same table",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "janaf-tic",
      "where": "Titanium Carbide (TiC) table C-107, row 1000, Cp column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
        "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "NIST public data"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "standard_molar_entropy",
      "label": "Standard molar entropy S, TiC, 298.15 K",
      "value": 24.229,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "J K-1 mol-1",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "298.15 K",
        "reference_state": "standard state pressure 0.1 MPa",
        "phase": "crystalline (cr)"
      },
      "method": "JANAF table value at 298.15 K; column mapped from the table layout",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "janaf-tic",
      "where": "Titanium Carbide (TiC) table C-107, row 298.15, S column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
        "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "NIST public data"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "standard_enthalpy_of_formation",
      "label": "Standard enthalpy of formation, TiC, 298.15 K",
      "value": -184.096,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "kJ mol-1",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "298.15 K",
        "reference_state": "standard state pressure 0.1 MPa",
        "phase": "crystalline (cr)"
      },
      "method": "JANAF table value at 298.15 K; delta-f H column",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "janaf-tic",
      "where": "Titanium Carbide (TiC) table C-107, row 298.15, delta-f H column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
        "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "NIST public data"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "standard_gibbs_energy_of_formation",
      "label": "Standard Gibbs energy of formation, TiC, 298.15 K",
      "value": -180.438,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "kJ mol-1",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "temperature": "298.15 K",
        "reference_state": "standard state pressure 0.1 MPa",
        "phase": "crystalline (cr)"
      },
      "method": "JANAF table value at 298.15 K; delta-f G column",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "janaf-tic",
      "where": "Titanium Carbide (TiC) table C-107, row 298.15, delta-f G column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
        "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "NIST public data"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "melting_point",
      "label": "Crystal-to-liquid transition, TiC (JANAF)",
      "value": 3290,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "K",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "JANAF crystal-liquid transition row",
        "reference_state": "standard state pressure 0.1 MPa"
      },
      "method": "JANAF lists the crystal-liquid transition as a temperature row in the table; it is not labelled as a melting point. The value is kept in kelvin as printed",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "janaf-tic",
      "where": "Titanium Carbide (TiC) table C-107, row 3290.000, labelled CRYSTAL <--> LIQUID",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
        "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "NIST public data"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "melting_point",
      "label": "Melting point, TiC (WebQC)",
      "value": 3160,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "°C",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "as printed by WebQC"
      },
      "method": "WebQC physical-properties value; the site does not name its original source",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "webqc-tic",
      "where": "Physical properties heading, melting point row",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "WebQC, Titanium carbide (TiC) compound record: physical properties, identifiers and molar mass",
        "url": "https://www.webqc.org/compound-TiC-TiC.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "web reference site, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "density",
      "label": "Density, TiC (WebQC)",
      "value": 4.93,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/cm3",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "as printed by WebQC (4.9300 g/cm3)"
      },
      "method": "WebQC physical-properties value; printed as 4.9300 g/cm³ and written here as g/cm3",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "webqc-tic",
      "where": "Physical properties heading, density row",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "WebQC, Titanium carbide (TiC) compound record: physical properties, identifiers and molar mass",
        "url": "https://www.webqc.org/compound-TiC-TiC.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "web reference site, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "molar_mass",
      "label": "Molar mass, TiC (WebQC)",
      "value": 59.8777,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "g/mol",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "basis": "molar mass of TiC as printed by WebQC"
      },
      "method": "WebQC property block, Properties of Titanium carbide heading",
      "status": "ground",
      "source": "webqc-tic",
      "where": "Properties of Titanium carbide heading, molar mass row",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "WebQC, Titanium carbide (TiC) compound record: physical properties, identifiers and molar mass",
        "url": "https://www.webqc.org/compound-TiC-TiC.html",
        "kind": "database",
        "license": "web reference site, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "elastic_modulus",
      "label": "Elastic modulus, TiC, first-principles, zero pressure",
      "value": 444,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "GPa",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "pressure": "0 GPa",
        "structure": "Fm-3m"
      },
      "method": "First-principles calculation as printed in JMST 2018 Table 3. Calculated, not measured",
      "status": "calculated",
      "source": "jmst-2018-tic",
      "where": "Table 3, row P = 0, E (GPa) column, TiC (Fm-3m)",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "A first-principles investigation on mechanical and metallic properties of titanium carbides under pressure, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 34(10), 1953-1958 (2018)",
        "url": "https://www.jmst.org/EN/Y2018/V34/I10/1953",
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "journal article, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "bulk_modulus",
      "label": "Bulk modulus, TiC, first-principles, zero pressure",
      "value": 268,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "GPa",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "pressure": "0 GPa",
        "structure": "Fm-3m"
      },
      "method": "First-principles calculation as printed in JMST 2018 Table 3. Calculated, not measured",
      "status": "calculated",
      "source": "jmst-2018-tic",
      "where": "Table 3, row P = 0, B (GPa) column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "A first-principles investigation on mechanical and metallic properties of titanium carbides under pressure, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 34(10), 1953-1958 (2018)",
        "url": "https://www.jmst.org/EN/Y2018/V34/I10/1953",
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "journal article, cited not reproduced"
      }
    },
    {
      "benchmark": "shear_modulus",
      "label": "Shear modulus, TiC, first-principles, zero pressure",
      "value": 181,
      "bound": "exact",
      "unit": "GPa",
      "scope": "material",
      "conditions": {
        "pressure": "0 GPa",
        "structure": "Fm-3m"
      },
      "method": "First-principles calculation as printed in JMST 2018 Table 3. Calculated, not measured",
      "status": "calculated",
      "source": "jmst-2018-tic",
      "where": "Table 3, row P = 0, G (GPa) column",
      "source_detail": {
        "title": "A first-principles investigation on mechanical and metallic properties of titanium carbides under pressure, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 34(10), 1953-1958 (2018)",
        "url": "https://www.jmst.org/EN/Y2018/V34/I10/1953",
        "kind": "paper",
        "license": "journal article, cited not reproduced"
      }
    }
  ],
  "corrosion": [
    {
      "environment": "Air, in-situ XRD on the smaller TiC particles, room temperature to 1000 °C",
      "headline": "In air, TiC starts to lose intensity above 225 °C and converts to anatase, then rutile TiO2",
      "effect": "The TiC XRD intensity decreases above 225 °C. Anatase forms above 350 °C, rutile is detected at 580 °C, and rutile exceeds anatase at 800 °C. No brookite or other intermediate was detected. The initial rise up to 225 °C is attributed to preferred orientation. The rating moderate is the assistant's judgement from these onset temperatures; the paper gives no rating.",
      "rating": "moderate",
      "conditions": {
        "atmosphere": "air",
        "sample": "TiC4, the smaller particle size",
        "temperature": "room temperature to 1000 °C, 25 K steps"
      },
      "source": "fraunhofer-tic-oxidation",
      "where": "In-situ XRD measurements, text and Figures 6 and 7"
    },
    {
      "environment": "Oxygen, thermogravimetry with DSC steps at 5, 10 and 20 K/min up to 1500 °C",
      "headline": "In oxygen, TiC oxidation runs in steps, the first at about 482 to 492 °C",
      "effect": "At 5 K/min the DSC reaction steps are at 482, 708 and 837 °C for TiC4, and at 492, 740, 916 and 1036 °C for TiC150. For the small particles the mass increase shifts to higher temperature as the heating rate rises. The theoretical maximum mass increase on complete oxidation is 33.4 mass percent. The rating moderate is the assistant's judgement; the paper gives no rating.",
      "rating": "moderate",
      "conditions": {
        "atmosphere": "oxygen",
        "heating_rates": "5, 10 and 20 K/min",
        "temperature": "up to 1500 °C"
      },
      "source": "fraunhofer-tic-oxidation",
      "where": "TG Measurement section, Table 3 (first derivative at 5 K/min), Figures 8 and 9"
    },
    {
      "environment": "Air, isothermal exposure at 600 to 1150 °C for up to 1140 hours",
      "headline": "Isothermal oxidation converts TiC fully to rutile, with a first-order kinetic fit",
      "effect": "XRD shows oxidation of TiC to rutile in every isothermal sample, with no by-products or intermediates detected. A first-order fit gives an activation energy of 117.3 kJ/mol and log A of 4.3 (1/s). Each is printed with a decimal comma in the source. The paper gives no rate in mass or thickness units, so the rating is unknown.",
      "rating": "unknown",
      "conditions": {
        "atmosphere": "air",
        "temperature": "600 to 1150 °C",
        "time": "up to 1140 hours"
      },
      "source": "fraunhofer-tic-oxidation",
      "where": "Isothermal oxidation experiments and kinetic evaluation text, Figure 4 and Figure 5"
    }
  ],
  "risks": {
    "hazards": [
      {
        "text": "NextSDS safety data sheet for titanium carbide, Section 02: Flam. Sol. Cat. 2, H228 Flammable solid, pictogram GHS02, with the signal word Warning as printed on the page. Section 09 of the same page calls the powder highly flammable.",
        "ghs": [
          "H228"
        ],
        "source": "nextsds-tic",
        "where": "Section 02 Hazard identification; Section 09 Flammability"
      },
      {
        "text": "ICSC 1319 (1998): finely dispersed particles form explosive mixtures in air, and dust explosion is possible if the material is a powder or granule mixed with air. It decomposes on contact with sparks, which creates a fire and explosion hazard.",
        "ghs": [],
        "source": "icsc-1319",
        "where": "Fire hazards and Explosion hazards sections"
      }
    ],
    "failure_risks": [
      {
        "mode": "Dust cloud ignition",
        "trigger": "Powder dispersed in air near an ignition source or spark",
        "consequence": "ICSC 1319 says finely dispersed particles form explosive mixtures in air. The card prints no exposure limit.",
        "severity": "high",
        "source": "icsc-1319",
        "where": "Explosion hazards section"
      },
      {
        "mode": "Conversion of the carbide to TiO2 at high temperature",
        "trigger": "Heating in air above about 225 °C, or in oxygen above about 482 °C at 5 K/min",
        "consequence": "Loss of the TiC phase and formation of rutile TiO2; the full oxidation adds up to 33.4 mass percent to the sample",
        "severity": "moderate",
        "source": "fraunhofer-tic-oxidation",
        "where": "In-situ XRD and TG Measurement sections"
      }
    ],
    "side_effects": [],
    "handling": [
      {
        "text": "ICSC 1319: prevent dispersion of dust. A harmful concentration of airborne particles can be reached quickly when the powder is dispersed, and repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust may affect the lungs.",
        "source": "icsc-1319",
        "where": "Inhalation and dust section; prevention"
      },
      {
        "text": "NextSDS Section 02 precautionary statement P241: use explosion-proof electrical, ventilating and lighting equipment.",
        "source": "nextsds-tic",
        "where": "Section 02 Precautionary statements"
      }
    ],
    "mitigations": []
  },
  "uses": [
    {
      "application": "mechanisms",
      "device": "Titanium carbide coated steel balls in aerospace ball bearings",
      "example": "The 1988 abstract says TiC-coated steel balls can bring large gains in performance and life, in both oil-grease lubricated and oil-grease free bearings in severe applications. The abstract gives no test numbers.",
      "source": "ntrs-19880012102",
      "where": "Abstract"
    },
    {
      "application": "mechanisms",
      "device": "Sputtered TiC coating on refractory substrates that form stable nitrides",
      "example": "A 1980 NASA Lewis record describes sputtering from a titanium carbide target, with a short nitrogen step at the start of deposition to bond the coating, which improves adhesion, friction and wear.",
      "source": "ntrs-19810007693",
      "where": "Abstract"
    },
    {
      "application": "mechanisms",
      "device": "Cermet cutting tool with a carbonitride hard phase and nickel and cobalt binder (TiC is named in the starting powder list)",
      "example": "A 1990 Kennametal patent describes cermet cutting tools for turning AISI 1045 and 4340 steels. The claimed hard phase is a titanium carbonitride, so this is not a pure TiC grade. The application is tagged mechanisms because the application list has no machining category.",
      "source": "us-4942097",
      "where": "Abstract, claim 1 and Description (starting powders, steel turning tests)"
    }
  ],
  "supply": [
    {
      "subject": "Titanium (feedstock for the titanium half of TiC)",
      "abundance": "5650 ppm in the Earth's crust (USGS PP 1802-A Table A1, citing Jefferson Science Associates 2014). USGS 2026: no U.S. sponge production in 2025; imports were an estimated 44000 t in 2025e.",
      "producers": [
        {
          "country": "China",
          "share_percent": 70.3,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Japan",
          "share_percent": 14.3,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Russia",
          "share_percent": 6.8,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Kazakhstan",
          "share_percent": 4.3,
          "year": 2025
        },
        {
          "country": "Saudi Arabia",
          "share_percent": 3.2,
          "year": 2025
        }
      ],
      "critical_lists": [
        {
          "list": "USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (titanium listed for white pigment and metal alloys, including aircraft, spacecraft and armor)",
          "listed": true
        },
        {
          "list": "EU critical raw materials list (European Commission page, entry Titanium metal)",
          "listed": true
        }
      ],
      "recycling": "USGS 2026: consumption data for titanium scrap metal for the titanium metal industry were withheld, because survey responses were limited.",
      "substitutes": [
        "USGS 2026: few materials match titanium metal's strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Aluminum, nickel, specialty steels and zirconium alloys may replace titanium where corrosion resistance is needed. This is about titanium metal, not TiC."
      ],
      "source": "usgs-mcs2026-titanium",
      "where": "Titanium and Titanium Dioxide chapter: World Sponge Metal Production table (2025, world total 370000 t, shares calculated by Space Mushroom against it); Recycling; Substitutes. Abundance: USGS PP 1802-A Table A1. Lists: USGS 2025 critical minerals page and the European Commission page (see sources)"
    }
  ],
  "media": [],
  "documents": [
    {
      "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), with C-108 and C-109 phase tables",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html"
    },
    {
      "title": "WebQC compound record, TiC (physical properties, identifiers, molar mass)",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://www.webqc.org/compound-TiC-TiC.html"
    },
    {
      "title": "Kuchenreuther-Hummel, Oxidation kinetic studies of TiC-particles using X-ray diffraction, Fraunhofer ICT",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://publica-rest.fraunhofer.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/62c76016-cb07-4c96-8888-7cc4e0a9818f/content"
    },
    {
      "title": "A first-principles investigation on mechanical and metallic properties of titanium carbides under pressure, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 34(10), 1953-1958 (2018)",
      "type": "paper",
      "url": "https://www.jmst.org/EN/Y2018/V34/I10/1953",
      "year": 2018
    },
    {
      "title": "Boving, Haenni and Hintermann, Titanium carbide coatings for aerospace ball bearings (NASA NTRS 19880012102, 1988)",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19880012102",
      "year": 1988
    },
    {
      "title": "Brainard, Improved refractory coatings (NASA NTRS 19810007693, 1980)",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19810007693",
      "year": 1980
    },
    {
      "title": "NextSDS safety data sheet, titanium carbide (Section 02 and Section 09)",
      "type": "sds",
      "url": "https://nextsds.com/sds/en/281331501258291/titanium-carbide"
    },
    {
      "title": "ICSC 1319, Titanium carbide (ILO and WHO, dated 1998)",
      "type": "database",
      "url": "https://www.inchem.org/documents/icsc/icsc/eics1319.htm",
      "year": 1998
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Titanium and Titanium Dioxide",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-titanium.pdf",
      "year": 2026
    },
    {
      "title": "USGS Professional Paper 1802-A, Table A1 crustal abundances",
      "type": "report",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1802/a/pp1802a.pdf",
      "year": 2017
    }
  ],
  "gaps": [
    "Hardness of monolithic TiC: no measured value read. JMST 2018 gives a calculated Vickers-type column (HV 23.6 at zero pressure), but its unit is not printed, so it is not used. Wikipedia's Mohs 9 to 9.5 is not used, because the brief limits Wikipedia to composition and history.",
    "Thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion of monolithic TiC: no fetched source with a printed value. A Hitachi materials table was blocked (HTTP 403), and the search snippets did not give clean TiC values.",
    "Electrical resistivity: only a search snippet (about 180 microohm cm) was seen; no fetched page, so it is not used.",
    "Oxidation onset of TiC powder at 410 degrees C (Kudin 2014, SAMS conference) could not be read: the host did not resolve. Not used.",
    "Tang et al. 2025 (Nanoscale Advances) TiC and TiCN oxidation in air: the page returned HTTP 403. Not read.",
    "PubChem: CID 4226345 is the record titled methideylidynetitanium(IV) (formula CTi, computed properties only, no GHS or experimental data). It is not the bulk material and is not cited. No PubChem bulk-TiC record was located.",
    "GHS classification: only the NextSDS page was read. American Elements (HTTP check blocked) and ChemScene were seen only in search snippets, which disagree on the signal word (Warning against Danger, with GHS02). Both are not used; the NextSDS page is the only classification in this file.",
    "Production route of TiC (carbothermal or direct carburization): no fetched source. The carbon feedstock is therefore not recorded in the recipe.",
    "Atomic weights of titanium and carbon were not read in a fetched page, so the recipe parts carry no atomic_weight.",
    "Designations (UNS, EN, DIN, JIS, ASTM and similar): no fetched source printed a designation for this grade. None are listed.",
    "Cutting tools: only a carbonitride cermet patent (Kennametal 1990) was read. No open pure-TiC cermet source with mechanical values was found, so no cermet property is given.",
    "Heat shields and spacecraft re-entry use: stated in Wikipedia only, which the brief does not allow for uses. Not listed as a use.",
    "Recycling of TiC itself: not stated in any source read. The supply recycling entry refers to titanium scrap.",
    "Ageing under radiation or long-term vacuum, and any flight result: no source read in this run.",
    "Property names not in property-canon.yaml: molar_heat_capacity, standard_molar_entropy, standard_enthalpy_of_formation, standard_gibbs_energy_of_formation, and molar_mass. The JANAF values are molar and cannot be converted to specific_heat without a molar mass.",
    "The melting point differs between sources: JANAF gives a crystal-liquid transition at 3290 K, and WebQC gives 3160.00 degrees C (3433 K). Both are kept; no single melting point is chosen.",
    "Source decimal commas: the Fraunhofer paper prints its activation energy and log A with a decimal comma. They are written here with a point. Its lattice parameter is not recorded, because the value check cannot match a decimal comma.",
    "Environments: no source read supports a space environment tag, so tags.environments is empty."
  ],
  "story": {
    "why": "Titanium carbide is a hard, high-melting carbide used where wear resistance and heat resistance matter more than toughness. The NASA 1988 record links TiC-coated steel balls to better bearing life in oil-lubricated and oil-free bearings, and the 1980 NASA record describes TiC sputtered coatings that bond well to refractory substrates. The JANAF table gives a standard enthalpy of formation of -184.096 kJ/mol for the crystalline solid, and a WebQC density of 4.9300 g/cm3.",
    "uses": [
      {
        "where": "Bearing surfaces",
        "line": "A 1988 NASA record says TiC-coated steel balls can bring large gains in performance and life in both oil-grease lubricated and oil-grease free bearings. The abstract gives no test numbers."
      },
      {
        "where": "Wear and adhesion coatings",
        "line": "A 1980 NASA Lewis record describes sputtering TiC onto refractory substrates, with a short nitrogen step to bond the coating. The record describes better adhesion, friction and wear."
      },
      {
        "where": "Cermet cutting tools",
        "line": "A 1990 Kennametal patent describes cermet cutting tools for turning AISI 1045 and 4340 steels. The claimed hard phase is titanium carbonitride, so this is a relative of TiC rather than pure TiC."
      }
    ],
    "can_do": [
      {
        "label": "Stiffness",
        "line": "The first-principles elastic modulus is 444 GPa at zero pressure (JMST 2018). It is calculated, not measured, and is the only stiffness value in this file.",
        "benchmark": "elastic_modulus",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Heat capacity",
        "line": "The crystalline solid has a molar heat capacity of 33.807 J K-1 mol-1 at 298.15 K and 51.179 J K-1 mol-1 at 1000 K (JANAF).",
        "benchmark": "molar_heat_capacity",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Melting",
        "line": "JANAF gives a crystal-to-liquid transition at 3290 K. WebQC gives a melting point of 3160.00 °C. The two sources disagree, so both are shown.",
        "benchmark": "melting_point",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "compare": "The JANAF transition (3290 K) and the WebQC melting point (3160.00 °C) are different values, and both are kept. The calculated elastic modulus (444 GPa), bulk modulus (268 GPa) and shear modulus (181 GPa) are first-principles values for an ideal crystal. They do not replace measured stiffness data. The compare rows are the three values available from sources read in this run.",
    "compare_rows": [
      {
        "label": "Density",
        "benchmark": "density",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Melting point",
        "benchmark": "melting_point",
        "scope": "material"
      },
      {
        "label": "Elastic modulus",
        "benchmark": "elastic_modulus",
        "scope": "material"
      }
    ],
    "handling": [
      "Dust: keep powder from dispersing. ICSC 1319 says finely dispersed particles form explosive mixtures in air.",
      "Ignition: H228 flammable solid. Keep away from sparks and use explosion-proof equipment (P241, NextSDS).",
      "Heat: in air, TiC oxidises to rutile above about 225 °C. Plan for oxide formation in hot service."
    ],
    "good_for": [
      "Wear and bearing surfaces. The 1988 NASA record reports large gains in bearing life with TiC-coated steel balls.",
      "High-melting carbide. JANAF places the crystal-to-liquid transition at 3290 K."
    ],
    "watch_out": [
      "Oxidation in air above about 225 °C, with rutile TiO2 forming and the carbide lost.",
      "A flammable powder that can form explosive dust clouds (NextSDS H228; ICSC 1319).",
      "Melting point and hardness are not settled here. The melting values differ by source, and hardness, thermal conductivity and thermal expansion were not sourced."
    ],
    "verdict": "Titanium carbide is a high-melting, stiff carbide with JANAF thermochemistry and calculated elastic constants. Its bearing and coating uses have NASA support, and its air oxidation onset is measured. Its powder hazard is a dust-explosion risk. Hardness, thermal conductivity and thermal expansion of monolithic TiC are not yet sourced.",
    "recipe": {
      "line": "TiC is a titanium-carbon compound with one titanium and one carbon per formula unit (JANAF; Wikipedia for the composition name). It has a cubic rock-salt structure, Fm-3m (JMST 2018). Synthesis route not sourced in this file.",
      "parts": [
        {
          "name": "Titanium",
          "symbol": "Ti",
          "role": "Metal sublattice of the rock-salt structure (JMST 2018 gives Fm-3m for TiC)."
        },
        {
          "name": "Carbon",
          "symbol": "C",
          "role": "Interstitial sublattice of the rock-salt structure, with the titanium-carbon bonding that gives the carbide its hardness and heat resistance."
        }
      ]
    },
    "risk_groups": [
      {
        "title": "For people",
        "lead": "The powder is flammable as a solid, and a dispersed dust cloud can explode. Treat dust as the main hazard until a manufacturer's safety data sheet is read.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "Dust",
            "line": "ICSC 1319 says finely dispersed particles form explosive mixtures in air, and that repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust may affect the lungs. Prevent dispersion of dust."
          },
          {
            "label": "Flammability",
            "line": "NextSDS gives H228, flammable solid, with GHS02. Keep the powder away from sparks, and use explosion-proof electrical and ventilating equipment (P241)."
          }
        ],
        "level": 0,
        "verdict": "Flammable powder, dust-explosion risk (NextSDS, ICSC)"
      },
      {
        "title": "If a part or powder heats up",
        "lead": "These numbers come from the Fraunhofer oxidation study of TiC particles in air and oxygen.",
        "points": [
          {
            "label": "In air",
            "line": "TiC intensity starts to fall above 225 °C. Anatase forms above 350 °C and rutile at 580 °C."
          },
          {
            "label": "In oxygen",
            "line": "At 5 K/min the first reaction step is at 482 °C for the smaller particles and 492 °C for the larger ones."
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "updated": "2026-10-26",
  "review": {
    "status": "draft",
    "method": "assistant",
    "checked_values": 12,
    "unreachable": 4,
    "caveats": 6,
    "note": "Written in this run from pages read in this run: the NIST-JANAF C-107 table and C-index, the WebQC compound page, the JMST 2018 Table 3, the Fraunhofer oxidation paper, the NTRS 1988 and 1980 records, the NextSDS page, the ICSC 1319 card, the USGS titanium chapter 2026 and PP 1802-A, the USGS 2025 critical minerals page, the EC critical raw materials page, the Kennametal patent US4942097 and Wikipedia for composition only. Unreachable: American Elements datasheet (bot check), Hitachi materials table (HTTP 403), Tang et al. 2025 (HTTP 403), Kudin 2014 (host did not resolve)."
  },
  "sources": {
    "janaf-tic": {
      "title": "NIST-JANAF Thermochemical Tables, Titanium Carbide (TiC), table C-107 (cr), C-108 (l) and C-109 (cr,l)",
      "url": "https://janaf.nist.gov/tables/C-107.html",
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "NIST public data"
    },
    "webqc-tic": {
      "title": "WebQC, Titanium carbide (TiC) compound record: physical properties, identifiers and molar mass",
      "url": "https://www.webqc.org/compound-TiC-TiC.html",
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "web reference site, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "jmst-2018-tic": {
      "title": "A first-principles investigation on mechanical and metallic properties of titanium carbides under pressure, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 34(10), 1953-1958 (2018)",
      "url": "https://www.jmst.org/EN/Y2018/V34/I10/1953",
      "kind": "paper",
      "license": "journal article, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "fraunhofer-tic-oxidation": {
      "title": "Kuchenreuther-Hummel, Oxidation kinetic studies of TiC-particles using X-ray diffraction, Fraunhofer ICT",
      "url": "https://publica-rest.fraunhofer.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/62c76016-cb07-4c96-8888-7cc4e0a9818f/content",
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "institutional repository, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "ntrs-19880012102": {
      "title": "Boving, Haenni and Hintermann, Titanium carbide coatings for aerospace ball bearings (22nd Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium, 1988), NASA NTRS 19880012102",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19880012102",
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "NASA public document"
    },
    "ntrs-19810007693": {
      "title": "Brainard, Improved refractory coatings, NASA Lewis (1980), NASA NTRS 19810007693",
      "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19810007693",
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "NASA public document"
    },
    "us-4942097": {
      "title": "Kennametal, Cermet cutting tool, US patent 4942097 (1990)",
      "url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4942097A/en",
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "patent document, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "nextsds-tic": {
      "title": "NextSDS, Safety data sheet page for titanium carbide (Section 02 and Section 09)",
      "url": "https://nextsds.com/sds/en/281331501258291/titanium-carbide",
      "kind": "datasheet",
      "license": "supplier safety data sheet, cited not reproduced"
    },
    "icsc-1319": {
      "title": "ICSC 1319, Titanium carbide (International Chemical Safety Cards, ILO and WHO, dated 1998)",
      "url": "https://www.inchem.org/documents/icsc/icsc/eics1319.htm",
      "kind": "database",
      "license": "ILO and WHO public card"
    },
    "usgs-mcs2026-titanium": {
      "title": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Titanium and Titanium Dioxide",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-titanium.pdf",
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "usgs-pp1802a": {
      "title": "USGS Professional Paper 1802-A, Critical Mineral Resources of the United States, Table A1 (crustal abundances)",
      "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1802/a/pp1802a.pdf",
      "kind": "report",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "usgs-crit2025": {
      "title": "USGS, About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals (final list of 60 minerals)",
      "url": "https://www.usgs.gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/about-2025-list-critical-minerals",
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "public domain (USGS)"
    },
    "ec-crm": {
      "title": "European Commission, Critical raw materials (list entry Titanium metal, Critical Raw Materials Act)",
      "url": "https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en",
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "European Commission web page"
    },
    "wikipedia-tic": {
      "title": "Wikipedia, Titanium carbide (composition and structure name only)",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium_carbide",
      "kind": "web",
      "license": "CC-BY-SA 4.0"
    }
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "url": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/titanium-carbide/"
}