Abstract
Niobium powder was made from potassium heptafluoroniobite (<TEX>$K_2NbF_7$</TEX>) 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 <TEX>$710^{\circ}C$</TEX> to <TEX>$800^{\circ}C$</TEX>. The particle size was fairly uniform, varying from <TEX>$0.09{\mu}m$</TEX> to <TEX>$0.4{\mu}m$</TEX> 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.
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