• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.186-189
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• 2009

In this study, niobium powder was made from potassium heptafluoroniobite($K_2NbF_7$) using sodium(Na) as a reductant and KCl, KF as a diluent based on the hunter metallothermic reduction method. The excesses of reductant were varied from 0%, 3%, 5% and 7%. When 7% excess of sodium was used, the un-reacted sodium remained in the reacted product. The niobium powder has been achieved by reducing 50 g of $K_2NbF_7$ with 5% sodium excess in a charge at a reduction temperature of $850^{\circ}C$. The proportion of fine fraction decreased appreciably and the yield of niobium powder improved from 65% to 85% with the increase of sodium excess. The average particle size of niobium powder is improved from 0.2 microns to 0.3 microns in the 5% excess sodium.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2002

In conventional metallothermic reduction(MR) for obtaining tantalum powder in batch-type operation, it is difficult to control morphology and location of deposits because the reaction occurs by direct physical contact between reductants and feed materials. On the other hand, a electronically mediated reaction(EMR) is capable to overcome these difficulties through the reaction by electron transfer and have a merit of continuous process. In this study an MR and EMR method has been applied to the production of a tantalum powder by sodium reduction of $K_2TaF_7$. As the reduction temperature increases, the particle size and yield of tantalum powder obtained by MR and EMR method is increased.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2021

Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and is the fourth most abundant structural metal after aluminum, iron, and magnesium. It exhibits a higher specific strength than steel along with an excellent corrosion resistance, highlighting the promising potential of titanium as a structural metal. However, titanium is difficult to extract from its ore and is classified as a rare metal, despite its abundance. Therefore, the production of titanium is exceedingly low compared to that of common metals. Titanium is conventionally produced as a sponge by the Kroll process. For powder metallurgy (PM), hydrogenation-dehydrogenation (HDH) of the titanium sponge or gas atomization of the titanium bulk is required. Therefore, numerous studies have been conducted on smelting, which replaces the Kroll process and produces powder that can be used directly for PM. In this review, the Kroll process and new smelting technologies of titanium for PM, such as metallothermic, electrolytic, and hydrogen reduction of TiCl₄ and TiO₂ are discussed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.395-405
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• 2003

In the conventional metallothermic reduction (MR) process for obtaining tantalum powder in batch-type operation. it is difficult to control morphology and location of deposits. On the other hand, a electronically mediated reaction (EMR) process is capable to overcome these difficulties and has a merit of continuous process, but it has the defect that the reduction yield is poor. MR-EMR combination process is a method that is able to overcome demerits of MR and EMR process. In this study, a MR-EMR combination process has been applied to the production of tantalum powder by sodium reduction of $K_2$TaF$_{7}$. The total charge passed through external circuit and average particle size (FSSS) were increased with increasing reduction temperature. The proportion of fine particle (-325 mesh) was decreased with increasing reduction temperature. The yield was improved from 65% to 74% with increasing reduction temperature. Considering the charge, impurities, morphology, particle size and yield, an reduction temperature of 1,123 K was found to be optimum temperature for MR-EMR combination process.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.68-79
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• 2016

Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the Earth's crust. It is also the forth most abundant structural metal after aluminum, iron and magnesium. Titanium is conventionally produced by the Kroll process. New processes to produce metallic titanium have been currently developed by many researchers in the world. In this study, the existing technologies, including both commercial and developmental processes, categorized into three groups: those by metallothermic reduction of $TiCl_4$ and $TiO_2$, those by electrolytic reduction of $TiO_2$ and hydrogen reduction of Ti compounds. Their mechanisms for reduction and their features are summarized and discussed in the view of industrial application.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.104-109
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• 2009

Niobium powder was made from potassium heptafluoroniobite ($K_2NbF_7$) as the raw material using sodium (Na) as a reducing agent based on the hunter process. The apparatus for the experiment was designed and built specifically for the present study. The niobium particle size greatly increased as the reduction temperature increased from $710^{\circ}C$ to $800^{\circ}C$. The particle size was fairly uniform, varying from $0.09{\mu}m$ to $0.4{\mu}m$ depending on the reduction temperatures. The niobium powder morphology and particle size are very sensitive to a reaction temperature in the metallothermic reduction process. The yield of niobium powder increased from 55% to 80% with a increasing a reaction temperature.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.53-54
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• 2002

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.3 s.62
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• pp.173-179
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• 2007

In the metallothermic reduction (MR) process used to obtain tantalum powder in one batch, it is difficult to control the morphology and location of the tantalum deposits. On the other hand, an electronically mediated reaction (EMR) process is capable of overcoming this difficulty. The effect of using $K_2TaF_7$ as the raw material and sodium as the reducting agent on the characteristics of tantalum powder are investigated. As the temperature of the reduction varied from 1023K to 1223K, the powder particles obtained with MR were relatively large $({\sim}34{\mu}m)$, while those prepared via EMR were of uniform $(13{\mu}m)$. In the MR process, the Ta powder recovery rate increased from 37% to 83% at 1123K in constrat with EMR process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.43-43
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• 2001