Production of ultra-high temperature carbide (Ta,Zr)C by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of mechanically activated mixtures

Abstract The combustion temperatures and rates of mechanically activated (MA) Ta–Zr–C mixtures depending on the initial temperature T0 are determined. The self-heating phenomenon is observed in argon atmosphere at T0>380 K due to oxidation of the surface of zirconium particles by adsorbed oxygen. Zirconium oxide is formed in the combustion zone at the initial stage of chemical interaction; it is subsequently transformed into zirconium carbide. In addition, tantalum carbide is formed in the combustion zone, while the binary tantalum–zirconium carbide (Ta,Zr)C is formed closer to the post-combustion zone. In order to maintain the layer by layer stationary combustion mode of SHS, the initial temperature T0 needs to be 298 K, while the duration of mechanical activation needs to be less than 5 min. After longer mechanical activation, the mixtures are prone to bulk combustion even at low initial temperatures. Single-phase (Ta,Zr)C carbide with the lattice parameter of 0.4479 nm was synthesized by forced SHS compaction in a sand mold.