The chemical state and control of oxygen in powder metallurgy tantalum

Tantalum powders containing different oxygen concentrations have been vacuum hot-pressed in graphite dies to study the dissolution and precipitation of oxygen and carbon in powder metallurgy (PM) tantalum. Various types of oxide and carbide precipitates were observed using microscopy and analyzed by X-ray microdiffraction. An in situ contact gettering method using zirconium has been coupled with hot-pressing to control oxygen. This method is effective at removing oxygen from the solid solution, while the precipitation behavior is not significantly altered. Hardness profiles with distance from Zr contact agree well with those expected from oxygen concentration profiles predicted by analysis assuming a diffusion-limited rate of gettering. Corresponding lattice parameter measurements by microdiffraction indicate that oxygen prefers to stay in supersaturated solid solution, even under slow cooling, where it is much more effective in hardening than in the form of precipitates.

► New insights on oxygen and carbon effects in powder metallurgy (PM) Ta.
► Oxygen in PM Ta remains mostly in supersaturated solid solution (SS).
► Oxygen acts as a potent hardener in SS, in contrast to the oxide precipitate.
► Contact gettering with Zr effectively remove oxygen from SS over bulk dimensions.
► Contact with carbon during hot-pressing does not significantly contaminate Ta.