Electric Field Enhanced Synthesis of Nanostructured Tantalum Carbide

Nanocrystalline TaC was synthesized by the field-activated combustion method. The crystallite size ranged from about 30 to 55 nm, depending on the applied field. At low fields (8.54 ≤ E < 16.39 V cm⁻¹) the average crystallite size was relatively unaffected by the field, but it showed a significant increase at fields higher than 16.39 V cm⁻¹. From temperature measurements, this field was found to coincide with the melting of Ta. The combustion wave velocity likewise showed a significant increase when the temperature was at the melting point. The composition of the product showed a dependence on the magnitude of the applied field. At low field values (above a threshold) the product contained Ta₂C. When synthesized at high fields, the product showed the presence of TaC phase only. The lattice parameter and the C/Ta ratio showed a slight dependence on the field, both increasing with an increase in the magnitude of the field.