Vanadium Carbide Research Articles

Mechanisms and mechanical properties of high-temperature high-pressure sintered vanadium carbide ceramics

Vanadium carbide (VC) is extensively employed as a reinforcing agent in coating materials and a grain refiner in hard alloys, owing to its exceptional mechanical properties. A series of bulk VC ceramics were fabricated via high-temperature high-pressure sintering, followed by a comprehensive and systematic investigation of various properties of the sintered samples. The results revealed significant influences of processing temperature on the properties of sintered VC at 5.0 GPa. However, the exact nature of temperature dependence varied depending on the specific property. It was found that VC ceramics sintered at 1100 °C and 5.0 GPa exhibited the best overall performance, providing a relatively optimal temperature condition for synthesis. The Vickers hardness of the material reached an astonishing 43.2 GPa under a 9.8 N load, placing it within the category of superhard materials. However, the sintered sample exhibited a gradually lower hardness value of 30.4 GPa under a higher load of 29.4 N. Highly dense with a relative density of 99.8%, exhibiting near full density, the vanadium carbide ceramics possess an impressive Young's modulus of 544 GPa, indentation fracture resistance of 5.4 MPa m1/2, and an oxidation initiation temperature of 758 °C. This study offers practical guidance for the design of novel transition metal carbide superhard materials and provides valuable insights for the exploration of visualizing directions in the next generation of superhard materials.

Structure and tribological properties of “carbon steel – VC containing coating” compositions formed by non-vacuum electron-beam surfacing of vanadium-containing powder mixtures

Vanadium carbides are known as efficient reinforcing components for surface layers of steel parts. They provide good tribological characteristics of material under sliding friction conditions and against dry abrasive particles. Since wear conditions usually are quite severe, a thick coating is needed to provide the reliable protection of the part. The majority of currently used surfacing technologies ensure the coatings of insufficient thickness. For this reason, the non-vacuum electron beam cladding which is able to provide thick coatings is a reasonable alternative to other surfacing methods. This paper presents an analysis of the microstructure, micro- and nanohardness, elasticity, and tribological characteristics of coatings formed by non-vacuum electron-beam surfacing of vanadium and graphite-containing powder mixtures. In the course of the study, coatings with the average thicknesses of 1.8, 2.5, 2.6, 3.4 mm were formed on the surface of blanks made of medium‑carbon steel. Hardness of cladding layers was significantly improved compared to the low-carbon steel (by the factor of 5–7). The wear resistance of coatings under conditions of sliding friction was 5.8 times higher than the wear resistance of the base metal after quenching and tempering; the wear resistance of coatings under conditions of friction against fixed and loosely fixed abrasive particles was ∼2 and ∼4.8 times higher, respectively. Surface hardening of steel alloyed with vanadium and carbon derives from the presence of a martensitic matrix, ledeburite precipitates and a high volume fraction (14.5–29.5 vol%) of vanadium carbide particles of a dendritic form, which act as rigid barriers.

Mitigating high temperature hydrogen attack with interphase precipitation

The attack on steel by reaction with high-pressure hydrogen at elevated temperatures can jeopardise structural integrity in oil & gas industries. Following dissociation, the hydrogen penetrates the steel to react with the carbon present in the ferrite to form methane bubbles within the microstructure. This depletion of carbon in the ferrite causes the dissolution of carbides in order to maintain the ferrite-carbide equilibrium. Therefore, thermodynamically more stable carbides which cause a reduced activity of carbon improve the stability of the steel to hydrogen attack. In this work, we investigate specifically the response of the interphase precipitation of alloy carbides that form during the transformation from γ to α, on hydrogen attack. It is demonstrated quantitatively that the vanadium carbides thus produced enhance the resistance to attack when compared with data from an earlier study involving current, commercially-used steel in the petrochemical industries.

Wear and corrosion behavior of vanadium-alloyed nodular cast irons fabricated by sand-casting

Nodular cast irons have been mainly used in automobile components exposed to large forces like brake pads, suffering from abrasion against recently developed lightweight Al2O3-containing brake rotors during operation. Besides, aqueous corrosion (rain, snow, and chlorides) can cause these brake pads to wear out faster. This study examined the wear and corrosion properties of the V-alloyed nodular cast irons as a function of V content (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 wt%). The samples were tested against an Al2O3 ball to simulate more severe abrasive conditions, whereas the electrochemical corrosion behavior was investigated in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. It was revealed that wear resistance increased with increasing V up to 0.50 wt%, but higher V caused a reduction due to the heavily branched eutectic carbide formation. Wear losses increased with the applied load, whereas sliding speed had no significant effect. The samples experienced uniform and graphitic corrosion in a 3.5 wt% NaCl environment. Increasing V improved their corrosion resistance to 0.75 wt% V due to the precipitated spherical vanadium carbides. The 1 wt% V-alloyed sample failed both wear and corrosion tests because of increased metastable eutectic carbides.

Slurry Jet Erosion Resistance of VC-Containing Tool Steels: the Role of the Carbide Volume Fraction

Tool steels are well known to have superior strength and are claimed to have superior wear resistance than conventional steels in several scenarios. However, their behavior under slurry erosion conditions have been seldom studied. To this end, a set of tool steels, primarily from the CPM yV (y = 1, 3, 9, 10, 15) alloy family, was selected to understand the effect of hardness and vanadium carbide content on the slurry jet erosion (SJE) performance at different impingement angles. It was observed that the SJE resistance increases with the increase in the vanadium carbide volume fraction, but is independent of alloy hardness.

Influence of Vanadium Carbide as an Anti-wear Reinforcement in Zirconia-Toughened Alumina for High-Temperature Tribological Application

Influence of Vanadium Carbide as an Anti-wear Reinforcement in Zirconia-Toughened Alumina for High-Temperature Tribological Application

Mechanism of Formation of Vanadium Carbide Layers on Carbon Steel by Powder Packed Method

Mechanism of Formation of Vanadium Carbide Layers on Carbon Steel by Powder Packed Method

Vertex-edge based resolvability parameters of vanadium carbide network with an application

A big amount of vanadium is used in the industry. It is used as a vanadium carbide stabiliser in steel production. Only 0.5 % vanadium in an iron alloy will double the tensile strength. Vanadium salts are used in leather, ink, dye manufacturing and yellow ceramic glaze. On the other hand, vanadium pentoxide is used as a catalyst, in the chemical industry, for the production of sulphuric acid and in the petroleum refinery industry. Resolvability parameter is the most discussed topic in graph theory. This helps to reorganise a network in a unique way, sometimes in terms of atoms (metric dimension) and sometimes bound (edge metric dimension). We studied resolvability parameters of vanadium carbide network in this article i.e. metric, edge metric and partition dimension. Among these metrics resolvability defined by parameters taking a subset from the set of vertices, if it has a unique representation with all the vertices, then it is called a resolving set. The number of elements in the smallest resolving set is called the metric dimension. While the number of elements of the minimal subset of vertices taking from vertex set is called the edge metric dimension, if the representations are unique of all edges and the set is called the edge resolving set. This study can have an effect in many ways in the research, particularly, with the help of some key points such as network structure analysis, material science via material properties, graph theory applications, predictive modelling, material testing and characterisation, as well as in industrial applications.

Two-dimensional V4C3@NiSe2 (Mxene) as high-energy and long-life cathode materials for sustainable aluminum batteries

In this context, we successfully synthesized a nickel diselenide-doped two-dimensional vanadium carbide composite V4C3@NiSe2, which was achieved by etching the V4AlC3 phase using the Louis acid molten salt etching process and subsequently calcining it with selenium. The chemical groups on the V4C3 layer are replaced by selenium, allowing selenium to integrate into the process, thereby increasing energy density and facilitating smoother intercalation of [AlCl4]− ions between these layers, which will reduce material losses during charge and discharge. Due to the interface modification of selenium, the V4C3@NiSe2 battery exhibits excellent conductivity, faster ion diffusion rate, and superior cycling stability. At 1 A g−1, the V4C3@NiSe2 cathode exhibits an impressive initial capacity of up to 636.8 mAh g−1, maintaining a stable capacity of 95 mAh g−1 after about 2700 cycles. In summary, this work proposes a simple synthesis method for high-performance cathode materials such as V4C3@NiSe2, which paves the way for the industrialization of high-performance rechargeable aluminum batteries.

Hydrogen trapping in vanadium carbide alloyed with transition metals

Hydrogen trapping in vanadium carbide alloyed with transition metals

Versatile MXene composite probe-mediated homogeneous electrochemiluminescence biosensor with integrated signal transduction and near-infrared modulation strategy for concanavalin A detection.

Based on the highly specific interaction between concanavalin A (Con A) and glucose (Glu), a competitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor was constructed for ultrasensitive detection of Con A. Nanocomposites with excellent electrocatalytic and photothermal properties were obtained by covalently bonding zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) to vanadium carbide MXene (V2C MXene) surfaces. The modification of ZnO QDs hinders the aggregation of V2C MXene and increases the catalytic activity of oxygen reduction reaction, thus amplifying the luminol cathodic emission. In addition, the excellent photothermal performance of the V2C MXene-ZnO QDs can convert light energy into heat energy under the irradiation of 808 nm near infrared laser, thus increasing the temperature of the reaction system and accelerating the electron transfer process to realize the synergistic amplified homogeneous ECL system. This innovative work not only enriches the fundamental research on multifunctional MXene nanomaterials for biosensing, but also provides an effective strategy for ECL signal amplification.

A V2CTx Mxene-Based Immune Tag for the Electrochemical Detection of Interleukin 6 (IL-6) from Breast Cancer Cells

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine that can act in an anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory role1 and over-expression of IL-6 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) has been linked to numerous tumors including breast cancer 2. The quantitative detection of IL-6 is critical for the diagnosis of tumors and biological research. Although there are several methods for the detection of IL-6, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the most standard and conventional approach 3. Conventional methods have the disadvantages of complex operation, time-consuming, usage of expensive or bulky instruments and need for trained personnel, which make them unadaptable for point-of-care (POC) tests. Therefore, the development of a reliable, rapid and on-site detection platform for the quantitative analysis of IL-6 is needed.Electrochemical (EC) biosensors are an alternative technique for detection of IL-6 owing to their advantages of a quick readout, low cost, ultra-sensitivity, high selectivity, and simplicity. Furthermore, electrochemical biosensors are easier to be miniaturized and mass fabricated, which makes them more desirable for POC applications 4. MXenes possessing high hydrophilicity, metallic conductivity and excellent plasmon resonance in the visible range are a novel family of 2D materials and are a suitable nanomaterial for enhancing EC signal 5.Herein, a sensitive EC platform was proposed and developed based on a 2D vanadium carbide (V2CTx) MXene-based immune tag. V2CTx@ Fe₄[Fe(CN)6]₃ (Prussian Blue) @Au NPs was prepared by an in-situ generation method. Then, the anti-IL-6 antibody was fixed on the V2CTx@ PB @Au NPs. The prepared V2CTx MXene-based immune tag and EC platform was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) method, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The in-situ generated V2CTx@PB@Au NPs showed stronger signal than electrostatic attracted Au NPs on V2CTx@PB. The linearity range were obtained as 0.005-0.5 ng/mL. The V2CTx@PB@Au maintained an EC signal of ~80% after 10 days and also performed well in real breast cancer cell samples. Our study thus suggests that the EC with V2CTx MXene-based immune tag is an effective platform for detecting cytokines secreted by breast cancer cells cultured in confined chips. References S. A. Jones and B. J. Jenkins, Nature Reviews Immunology, 18 (12), 773-789 (2018). J. Milovanović, N. Todorović-Raković, and M. Radulovic, Cytokine, 118 93-98 (2019). M. Rahbar, Y. Wu, J. A. Subramony, and G. Liu, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 9 (2021). F. Cui, Z. Zhou, and H. S. Zhou, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 167 (3), 037525 (2019). Y. Zhang, W. Lu, J. Zhou, D. Sun, and H. Li, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 929 167276 (2022). Figure 1

Carbides of transition metals: Properties, application and production. Review. Part 2. Chromium and zirconium carbides

The properties, application, and methods for producing chromium and zirconium carbides are considered. These carbides are oxygen-free refractory metal-like compounds. As a result, they are characterized by high values of thermal and electrical conductivity. Their hardness is relatively high. Chromium and zirconium carbides exhibit significant chemical resistance in aggressive environments. For these reasons, they have found application in modern technology. Chromium carbide is used mainly as component of surfacing mixtures to create protective coatings that resist intensive abrasive wear, including at elevated temperatures (up to 800 °C) in oxidizing environments. This compound is also used in the manufacture of tungsten-free hard alloys and carbide steels. Chromium carbide, along with vanadium carbide, is used as a grain growth inhibitor in WC – Co hard alloys. Powdered zirconium carbide can be used to polish the surface of items made of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The properties of refractory compounds depend on the content of impurities and dispersion (particle size). To solve a specific problem associated with the use of refractory compounds, it is important to choose the right method for their preparation, to determine the permissible content of impurities in the initial components. This leads to the existence of different methods for the synthesis of carbides. The main methods for their preparation are: synthesis from simple substances (metals and carbon), metallothermal and carbothermal reduction. Plasma-chemical synthesis (vapor-gas phase deposition) is also used to obtain carbide nanopowders. A characteristic is given to each of these methods. Information on the possible mechanism of the processes of carbothermal synthesis is presented.

Microwave-etched V2C MXene-activated carbon hybrid as a high-performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Activated carbon (AC) has been widely utilized as an active material in lithium-ion batteries (LIB) due to its stability and abundance. Nevertheless, the performance of AC anode materials alone falls short of competing with hybrid anode materials, which can attain maximum discharge capacity. Recently, a new two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbide, MXene, has shown promising performance as an anode in LIB applications. The combination between AC and MXene has proved to improve battery performance previously. Thus, in this study, the electrode was prepared using a hybrid of activated carbon with vanadium carbide MXene (V2C), which was synthesized by etching V2AlC with in situ of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and lithium fluoride (LiF) at 90 °C for 30 min via microwave-assisted hydrothermal technique. The characterization by XRD pattern shows the appearance of V2C MXene peak at 7.23°, indicating the successful etching from V2AlC MAX. The as-prepared AC/V2C_D at ratio 9:1 revealed excellent electrochemical properties as anode LIB, owned capacity up to 562 mAh g−1 (at 50 mA g−1) with cycling stability and columbic efficiency of 95.87 % and 98.2 %, respectively after 50 cycles. Moreover, AC/V2C_D exhibited the smallest Rct (18.50 Ω), and the discharge capacity of 370.25 mAh g−1 was restored after 60 cycles when the current density returned to 50 mAg−1, implying a good reversibility performance and high endurance for LIB. Furthermore, the fabricated full cell of AC/V2C_D//LiFePO4 exhibits initial discharge and charge capacity at 159.6 and 199.8 mAh g−1, respectively, with 79.9 % of CE and delivers a stable cycling performance with reversible discharge specific capacity of 82.72 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. These promising results prove that the hybrid of AC/V2C_D MXene can be good potential as an anode material in future LIBs applications.

Doped micro-silicon and vanadium carbide MXene composite as anode for high stability and high capacity Li-ion batteries

The demand for high-energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been rising exponentially. Silicon (Si) is gaining increased attention and popularity as an anode material due to its high theoretical capacity (4200 mAhg−1, Li4.4Si) and ample abundance, but the huge volume expansion of Si restricts its use in practical applications. Herein, we propose a composite consisting of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) doped micron Si/graphite with vanadium carbide (V2C) MXene, which effectively helps to buffer the mechanical stresses initiated by the volume expansion of Si. The lithium storage specific capacity of the composite is 2003 mAhg−1 (based on the weight of Si) after a long-term cycling of 500 cycles (1C rate) along with a good high rate performance. The improved performance of the composite electrode can be attributed to V2C as well as N/P doping, which significantly enhance the electron/ion conduction pathways. Also, low-cost micron Si can provide high tap density in practical applications where volumetric performance is desired. Thus, this work provides an approach to develop high-performance micron Si-based materials for LIBs.

Response surface methodology (RSM) based analysis on slurry erosion behavior of laser textured and PTFE sprayed VC+TiC coating deposited via HVOF

This research article focuses on investigating the slurry erosion behavior of vanadium carbide (VC) + titanium carbide (TiC) coating deposited via high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying. The study also focuses on examining the potential effects of laser texturing and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) spraying on enhancing the resistance of the deposited coating against slurry erosion. Moreover, the study employs response surface methodology (RSM) to precisely model and optimize erosion behavior across various slurry conditions, while considering key process parameters such as velocity of jet, angle of impact, and concentration of slurry. By utilizing a central composite face-centered design (CCFD) matrix, an empirical correlation between these parameters and resulting mass loss is established. The failure mechanism was also examined using SEM images.

Influence of laser texturing along with PTFE topcoat on slurry and cavitation erosion resistance of HVOF sprayed VC coating

This research investigates the slurry and cavitation erosion resistance of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) top-coat applied to standalone high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) sprayed and laser textured Vanadium Carbide (VC) coating over SS316 steel. The static contact angle, microstructural characterization, EDS mapping, microhardness, fracture toughness, elastic modulus, slurry erosion, and cavitation erosion of all the samples namely SS316, HVOF sprayed VC, Laser textured VC, and PTFE modified VC were evaluated. Results demonstrate that the inclusion of a PTFE top-coat significantly enhances the erosion resistance over HVOF sprayed and laser textured VC coatings. Further, the laser textured VC surface was also found to be successful in reducing the slurry and cavitation erosion of SS316 steel, which could be attributed to its higher microhardness, presence of circular textures, and higher H/E ratio. When the failure mechanism was examined using SEM images, it was found that brittle failure occurred on hard surfaces while ductile failure occurred on soft surfaces.

Effect of Structural Changes at Various Length Scales in SiVOC Ceramic Nanocomposites on Electrocatalytic Performance for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Polymer-derived processing of ceramics (PDC) is an efficient technique to prepare porous nanocomposites with precise control over their phase composition and in relation to the Si-based ceramic matrix containing free carbon. The microstructure of these nanocomposites can be fine-tuned at the molecular scale for obtaining necessary properties by tailoring the chemical configuration of the preceramic polymer. In the present work, vanadium-based nanocomposites were synthesized as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with the objective of elucidating the effect of microstructure changes on catalytic efficiency. For this purpose, a single-source precursor (SSP) was synthesized by crosslinking phenyl- and hydrido-substituted polysiloxane and vanadium acetylacetonate followed by pyrolysis at 1100 °C. The resulting solid was composed of sparsely distributed nanodomains of vanadium carbide (VC) crystals precipitated within an amorphous silicon oxycarbide (-Si-O-C-) matrix. High-temperature treatment of the pyrolyzed samples beyond 1300 °C induced the crystallization of β-SiC as well as VC. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy confirmed the segregation of sp2-hybridized, turbostratic free carbon. The samples exposed to 1300 °C revealed a specific surface area of 239 m2/g. The electrocatalytic activity of the sample heat-treated at 1300 °C showed the best performance with respect to the ORR performance with onset potential (Eo) and half-wave potential (E1/2) values of 0.81 and 0.72 V, respectively. In addition, improved kinetics with a Tafel slope of 57 mV/dec and enhanced current density in the diffusion-controlled region (Id) of 3.7 mA/cm2 were observed for this sample. The increase in Eo was attributed to the optimal interfacial characteristics between the VC and SiOC matrix with better embedment of VC with free carbon through V-C bonds. The higher E1/2 and faster kinetics are because of the higher electronic conductivity caused by the free carbon effectively connecting metallic VC crystallites. Besides, the higher specific surface area of this sample enhanced Id.

Peroxymonosulfate-based photodegradation of naproxen by stimulating (Mo, V, and Zr)-carbide nanoparticles

Molybdenum carbide (Mo2C), vanadium carbide (VC), and zirconium carbide (ZrC) nanoparticles (NPs) were investigated systematically as photocatalysts for the stimulation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of naproxen (NX) under visible light. Characterizations of the samples by XRD, XPS, SEM, UV/PL, and BET were performed. In particular, the impact of exogenous variables on NX degradation was thoroughly and methodically investigated. 80.47 % of NX was decomposed over 60 min with 0.75 g/L PMS and ZrC at pH 3. ZrC NPs showed higher photocatalytic/photo-piezocatalytic properties in the degradation of NX compared to VC and Mo2C NPs. The substantial rise in the reaction rate of NX in ZrC/PMS-based photo-degradation can be attributed to the larger surface area, mesoporous, narrow energy bandgap (Eg), and lower intensity of photoelectrons and holes recombining of ZrC NPs. Due to their substantial photocatalytic efficacy and significant piezo-photocatalytic properties, all NPs are viable candidates for piezo-photocatalytic/photocatalytic degradation. The degradation of NX was then seen in the active species scavenging studies, in which sulfate radicals, hydroxyl radicals, holes, and superoxide radicals were involved. According to continuous cycle studies, the ZrC NPs also had excellent durability and reusability. Additionally, the potential paths for NX degradation were proposed based on the study of LC-MS, and the degradation mechanism of NX was clarified. Based on the superior stability and reusability of ZrC NPs after 5 successive cycles, this material is anticipated to be utilized in the future for the treatment of wastewater, containing pharmaceuticals.

In situ synthesis of VS4/Ti3C2Tx MXene composites as modified separators for lithium-sulfur battery

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are regarded as highly prospective energy storage devices. However, problems such as low sulfur utilization, poor cycle performance, and insufficient rate capability hinder the commercial development of Li-S batteries. Three-dimensional (3D) structure materials have been applied to modify the separator of Li-S batteries to suppress the diffusion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and inhibit the transmembrane diffusion of Li+. A vanadium sulfide/titanium carbide (VS4/Ti3C2Tx) MXene composite with a 3D conductive network structure has been synthesized in situ by a simple hydrothermal reaction. VS4 is uniformly loaded on the Ti3C2Tx nanosheets through vanadium-carbon(V-C) bonds, which effectively inhibits the self-stacking of Ti3C2Tx. The synergistic action of VS4 and Ti3C2Tx substantially reduces the shuttle of LiPSs, improves interfacial charge transfer, and boosts the kinetics of LiPSs conversion, consequently increasing the rate performance and cycle stability of the battery. The assembled battery has a specific discharge capacity of 657 mAhg-1 after 500 cycles at 1C, with a high capacity retention rate of 71%. The construction of VS4/Ti3C2Tx composite with a 3D conductive network structure provides a feasible strategy for the application of polar semiconductor materials in Li-S batteries. It also provides an effective solution for the design of high-performance Li-S batteries.