Preparation of Spherical Titanium Powders from Polygonal Titanium Hydride Powders by Radio Frequency Plasma Treatment

Abstract

This paper describes a novel dehydrogenation and spheroidization method using in-situ radio frequency (RF) thermal plasma treatment process to prepare spherical titanium (Ti) powders. Polygonal titanium hydride (TiH2) powders were successfully converted into spherical Ti powders and the size of the powders decreased from 30 to 21 µm by means of evaporation at the powder surface during the plasma treatment. Contaminants in the final products were drastically decreased due to the evaporation and emission of vapors during the plasma treatment.