Effects of Doping Elements on Residual Oxygen/Nitrogen Contents in Red Pigment of Tantalum Nitrides (Ta<sub>3</sub>N<sub>5</sub>)

Abstract

Tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) is a nontoxic red pigment that is being developed as a substitute for Cd-related pigments Ta3N5 is produced by the nitridation and heat treatment of amorphous Tantalum precursors. Doping elements were added in the precursor manufacturing stage to improve the red color tone of tantalum nitride. Grain growth was observed in nitrides that formed second phases, such growth led to an increase in the average grain size comprared to undoped nitrides, and the colors declined as the oxygen content increased. Nitrides that did not form second phases in response to doping elements remained a single-phase Ta3N5 and exhibited an excellent red color with a high nitrogen content. We determined that a change in the oxygen/nitrogen contents affected the color manifestation, which depended on the amount by which doping was increased.