Effect of a Reductant on Production and Characteristics of Tantalum Powder

탄탈륨 분말제조시 분말특성에 미치는 환원제의 영향

Purity tantalum powder has been produced by sodium reduction of potassium tantalum fluoride($K_2TaF_7$)in a stainless steel bomb. The influence of experimental variable, such as excess of reductant and temperature of reduction on the yield and quality of the Ta powder has been studied. The excesses of reductant were varied from -20%, -10%, 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%. When -20% excess of sodium was used, the un-reacted sodium remained in the reacted product. The yield of 81% of Ta powder has been achieved by reducing 50g of$K_TaF_7$with 5% sodium in excess of stoichiometric amount in presence of 16.8g of sodium chloride in the charge at a reduction temperature of$905{\circ}C$. The proportion of fine fraction(~325mesh) decreased appreciably with the increase of sodium excess, and the yield of tantalum powder improved from 65% to 94%. The average particle size of Ta Powder is improved from 3 microns to 4 microns in the 5% excess sodium.