Process for the production of titanium carbide coatings

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE DEPOSIT OF TITANIUM CARBIDE COATINGS ON SURFACES OF OBJECTS BY REACTING A REACTION GAS MIXTURE CONTAINING HYDROGEN, A VOLATILE HYDROCARBON AND A TITANIUM HALIDE, THE STEP WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 900* AND 1200*C. A REACTION GAS MIXTURE CONTAINING A VOLATILIZED TITANIUM HALIDE, HYDROGEN AND A HYDROCARBON IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SURFACE OF THE OBJECT UPON WHICH THE TITANIUM CARBIDE COATING IS TO BE DEPOSITED, THE PROPORTION OF THE HYDROCARBON TO THE HYDROGEN IN SUCH GAS MIXTURE BEING SUCH THAT THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF THE HYDROCARBON, WITH REFERENCE TO METHANE, IN ATMOSPHERE, DOES NOT EXCEED 0.047 TIMES X2 AT 900*C. TO 0.015 TIMES X2 AT 1200*C., X BEING THE HYDROGEN PARTIAL PRESSURE IN ATMOSPHERES IN SAID GAS MIXTURE, THE MAXIMUM HYDROCARBON PARTIAL PRESSURE AT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 900* AND 1200*C. BEING INTERPOLATED LINEARLY, IN ORDER TO DEPOSIT A FIRMLY ADHERENT TITANIUM CARBIDE COATING WHICH IS FREE OF ELEMENTAL CARBON AND ELEMENTAL TITANIUM INCLUSIONS ON SUCH SURFACE.