keybindings for c-i and tab

[Tyler]

Hi,

I'm working in Auctex mode, and I want to bind tex-font italics to C-i. 
I couldn't figure out the set-key code directly, but I did manage to get 
a macro to work:

(fset 'italicizer
   "\C-c\C-f\C-i")
(global-set-key "\C-i" 'italicizer)

However, I've discovered that C-i and tab are mystically linked. So my 
macro works for C-i, which I want, but also for tab, which I don't. Is 
there some way to tell emacs not to equate C-i and tab?

Thanks!

Tyler