Combustion synthesis and characterization of TaC, TaC/TaSi2, and TaC/TaB nanoparticles

• A combustion process for TaC (TaC/TaSi2, TaC/TaB) nanoparticles synthesis is presented.
• The nanoparticles were synthesized from the K2TaF7+(1.25+m)Si+m(C2F4)n+xC(B, Si) mixture.
• The combustion temperature of reaction mixtures was 850–1030 °C range.
• The nanoparticles were less than 20 (TaC), 100 (TaC/TaSi2) and 50 nm (TaC/TaB).
• The chemical mechanism of the synthesis process is presented and discussed.

Herein, we present the low-temperature solid-phase combustion synthesis of tantalum carbide (TaC), TaC/tantalum silicide (TaSi2), and TaC/tantalum boride (TaB) nanoparticles by the silicothermic reduction of potassium fluorotantalate (K2TaF7) in the presence of carbon, boron, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE,1 (C2F4)n). The temperature–time profiles of the combustion wave were measured by thermocouples and used to calculate the combustion parameters: temperature and wave velocity. The flame temperature was found to increase with the concentration of PTFE. Using high resolution transmission electron microscopy, a homogeneous distribution of highly crystalline nanoparticles was observed. The thermal–kinetic activation energy, the heat released during each of the individual reactions, and the chemical mechanism of the overall combustion process are discussed with respect to the final products.

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