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Fabrication of ThN Using a Carbothermic Reduction to Nitridation Process
Author(s) -
Parkison Adam J.,
Parker Stephen S.,
Nelson Andrew T.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/jace.14453
Subject(s) - thermogravimetric analysis , tungsten , process (computing) , reduction (mathematics) , carbon fibers , fabrication , materials science , impurity , metallurgy , process engineering , chemical engineering , chemistry , computer science , engineering , composite material , mathematics , medicine , geometry , alternative medicine , pathology , composite number , operating system , organic chemistry
A carbothermic reduction to nitridation process was developed which is capable of producing high‐purity thorium mononitride (ThN) in bulk quantities. This was accomplished through study of three distinct processing routes using thermogravimetric analysis. The information gathered was then used to guide development of a draft process, which was tested within a tungsten production furnace. Scaling issues were identified and corrected following the draft process. Finally, a partitioned process was developed in response to the draft process which separates the reduction from the nitridation and carbon cleanup steps. This partitioned process was demonstrated to be capable of producing phase‐pure ThN, with oxygen and carbon impurities of 990 ± 130 wppm and 240 ± 30 wppm, respectively.