Energy-efficient direct current arc plasma synthesis of tantalum carbide powder by advanced vacuum-free method

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a method to manufacture tantalum carbide in open air by igniting a direct current arc discharge in a graphite crucible containing a mixture of raw materials: tantalum and carbon. Carbon burns to form carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which serve as a gaseous medium for the synthesis process. Using experimental and analytical procedures, we have obtained the necessary parameters — current, arcing time, and mass of the raw material — to produce the NaCl-type cubic phase of tantalum carbide. Micron- and submicron-sized tantalum carbide crystals are identified in the synthesis products. The combustion parameters of the resulting tantalum carbide are determined by differential thermal analysis. The proposed synthesis method is easier to implement, more energy-efficient, and less time-consuming than the current techniques.