One-step hydrogenation-deoxygenation recycling of titanium hydride powder from titanium scrap

During the production and processing of titanium materials, titanium scrap of approximately 45% of raw materials is formed and is severely contaminated. In this study, low-oxygen titanium hydride powder was recycled by one-step hydrogenation and deoxygenation of the titanium scrap using a hydrogen-assisted magnesiothermic deoxidation method. The oxygen content decreased from 2.43 wt% of titanium scrap to 0.24 wt% of titanium hydride powder after a gradient temperature-rise deoxygenation process at relatively low temperatures. The hydrogen can break through the traditional thermodynamic limitations and promote the magnesiothermic reaction by forming Ti-O-H lattice to reduce the oxygen content of titanium scrap to a relatively low level. The proposed new deoxygenation method simultaneously carry out hydrogenation and deoxygenation of the irregular titanium scrap. The deoxidation product can be easily crushed to micron-sized titanium hydride powder for its convenient following applications. This research provides highly-efficient and short-process titanium recycling from titanium scrap.