In the present study, the focus is on the analysis of carbothermal reduction of the titanium-cobalt-oxygen based oxide powder by solid carbon for the optimizing synthesis process of ultra fined TiC/Co composite powder. The titanium-cobalt-oxygen based oxide powder was prepared by the combination of the spray drying and desalting processes using the titanium dioxide powder and cobalt nitrate as the raw materials. The titanium-cobalt-oxygen based oxide powder was mixed with carbon black, and then this mixture was carbothermally reduced under a flowing argon atmosphere. The changes in the phase structure and thermal gravity of the mixture during carbothermal reduction were analysed using XRD and TGA. The synthesized titanium-cobalt-oxygen based oxide powder has a mixture of and . This oxide powder was transformed to a mixed state of titanium car-bide and cobalt by solid carbon through four steps of carbothermal reduction steps with increasing temperature; reduction of to and Co, reduction of , to the magneli phase(, n>3), reduction of the mag-neli phase(, n>3) to the (2n3) phases, and reduction and carburization of the (2n3) phases to titanium carbide.

Ultra fine titanium carbide particles were synthesized by novel metallic thermo-reduction process. The vaporized TiC1+ gases were reacted with liquid magnesium and the fine titanium carbide particles were then produced by combining the released titanium and carbon atoms. The vacuum treatment was followed to remove the residual phases of MgC1 and excess Mg. The stoichiometry, microstructure, fixed and carbon contents and lattice parameter were investigated in titanium carbide powders produced in various reaction parameters.