Joint aluminothermic reduction of oxides Zr, Ta and Nb

Abstract

Alloys based on the Al-Zr system with insignificant Ta and Nb additives are in demand in the synthesis of complex alloys used to produce titanium alloys for aircraft and rocket technology. A common method for producing aluminum-zirconium alloys and ligatures is the out-of-furnace metallothermal reduction of zirconium from oxides and direct fusion of components. The practice of such methods has a number of significant disadvantages: poor separation of the metal and oxide phases, a low degree of extraction of the target component, the use of thermal additives, and the high cost of the resulting product. The solution to the problem may be a technology option where the temperature regime of the metallothermal reduction process is ensured both due to the heat of exothermic reactions and due to the additional supply of relatively inexpensive electrical energy. In this work, we investigated the possibility of obtaining alloys using metallothermal reduction from oxides based on ZrAl with Ta and Nb additives. An experimental technique for producing an alloy is presented. The data of X-ray phase analysis (XRD) and chemical analysis of the alloy. as well as an analysis of the content of oxygen and nitrogen in the alloy. X-ray phase analysis showed the formation of the ZrAl2 compound in all the studied alloys, as well as solid solutions (Zr4Nb)Al3, (Zr0.8Ta0.2)Al3, (Zr4Nb0.5Ta0.5)Al3 corresponding to the added element, ZrO2 is present in the 3 alloys, which tells us about not up to the reduced oxide Zr. These data are confirmed by analysis of the gas content in the alloy, where there is an increased oxygen content. The performed study can serve as a scientific basis for the development of promising metallothermal technologies for the production of rare metal alloys.