Research on the Properties and Application of Niobium Carbide

Niobium carbide is a green cubic crystal with metallic luster, belonging to the sodium chloride type cubic crystal system. Niobium carbide is a metal carbide with the chemical formula NbC.

 The characteristics of niobium carbide

Niobium carbide has a melting point of 3500°C and a microhardness of> 23.5 Gpa (> 2400 kg/mm2), which is harder than corundum. The elastic modulus of niobium carbide is 338000 N/mm2, the thermal expansion coefficient is 6.65×10 ^(-6)/K, the thermal conductivity is 14 w/(m•K), and the resistivity is 35μΩ•cm.

 Niobium carbide is insoluble in hot and cold hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and nitric acid, and soluble in a mixed solution of hot hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid. It is stable at 1000~1100°C and rapidly oxidized to niobium pentoxide above 1100°C. Niobium carbide is fusible in compounds such as titanium carbide, zirconium carbide and tungsten carbide, and together form a homogeneous solid solution mixture.

NbC application areas

1. Application of NbC in composite materials

 (1) Composite ceramics

As one of the raw materials of multiphase ceramic materials, the multiphase ceramic materials made are often used in the fields of wear-resistant parts, cutting tools and electrodes due to their high hardness, high melting point, excellent chemical stability and electrical conductivity.

 (2) Cemented carbide

Not only can it be used as an inhibitor of cemented carbide grain growth, but it can also form a third dispersed phase together with WC, Co and other carbides, which can significantly improve thermal hardness and thermal shock resistance. Because niobium carbide has the advantages of improving alloy hardness and improving alloy fracture toughness, it can be used to prepare cemented carbide cutting tool materials with excellent cutting performance.

 (3) Surfacing electrode

The hard phase of hard niobium carbide enters the structure of the surface layer, so that the welding layer has a better wear-resistant framework and greatly improves the wear resistance. The wear resistance of the electrode surfacing layer is 1.2 to 1.8 times that of quenched 45 steel (HRC50) and 2.4 to 3.6 times that of Fe-Cr-CB type wear-resistant alloy.

 (4) Aerospace parts

It is used as a preparation material for many aerospace equipment parts, such as turbine rotors, gas rudders, blades, engine nozzle linings and structural parts of nuclear reactors.

 2. Application of NbC in coatings

 (1) Surface coating of die steel

As a metal carbide, niobium carbide has high hardness, heat resistance and wear resistance. Therefore, coating it on steel shows that it can improve the wear resistance of the mold surface.

(2) Coating of metal workpieces

The niobium carbide layer is compounded on the surface of the metal workpiece matrix, which greatly improves the surface hardness, which can reach HV2800 or higher, and at the same time increases the working temperature and tissue density of the workpiece, thereby extending its service life.

 (3) Other niobium carbide coatings

The high temperature parts of the spacecraft are coated with niobium carbide, which can greatly increase their service life. In the electronics industry, the material for the middle layer of the electron emission tube uses ultrafine cobalt-containing niobium carbide, which has a significant effect on increasing the emissivity of the grid surface, reducing the grid temperature and reducing the heat dissipation of metal oxides. Grid, thereby extending the life of the electron emission tube.

 3. Application of NbC in the production of niobium metal

my country mainly adopts indirect reduction method to produce metal niobium. The produced niobium carbide is used as a reducing agent, which interacts with niobium pentoxide to produce crude metallic niobium, which is then refined to obtain higher purity metallic niobium. In addition, niobium carbide can directly reduce niobium pentoxide to form pure metal niobium.

Overview of niobium carbide NBC powder

Niobium carbide (NBC and Nb2C) is a very hard refractory ceramic material that can be used commercially for cutting tool tips. It is usually processed by sintering and is a common additive in cemented carbide as a grain growth inhibitor. The appearance is brown-gray metal powder with purple luster and high corrosion resistance.

 Niobium carbide can be produced by heating niobium oxide at 1800°C in a vacuum and adding coke.

 Niobium carbide NBC powder is a dark gray-brown powder with cubic crystal structure and metallic luster. It is stable at 1000 to 1100°C, and rapidly oxidizes to niobium pentoxide above 1100°C.

 Niobium carbide NBC powder has good chemical stability and high temperature performance. It is a material with a high melting point and high hardness.

 Niobium carbide NBC powder is insoluble in hot and cold hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and nitric acid, and soluble in a mixed solution of hot hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid.

Niobium carbide NBC powder is easily soluble in compounds such as titanium carbide, zirconium carbide and tungsten carbide, and together form a uniform solid solution mixture, which is a commonly used cemented carbide additive.

Application of niobium carbide NBC powder

Niobium carbide NBC powder can partially replace tantalum carbide and is widely used in refractory high-temperature materials and cemented carbide additives

As a carbide cement additive, niobium carbide is a solid solution component of ternary and quaternary carbides (such as the WC-NBC-C ternary system).

Niobium carbide NBC powder can also be used to make purple artificial gems.

Niobium carbide NBC powder price

The price of niobium carbide NBC powder will vary randomly with the production cost, transportation cost, international situation, exchange rate and market supply and demand of niobium carbide NBC powder. Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. aims to help all industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full set of customized services. If you are looking for Niobium Carbide NBC powder, please feel free to send inquiries about the latest prices.

Niobium carbide NBC powder suppliers

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