A Study on the Carbothermic Reduction and Refining of V, Ta and B Oxides by Ar/Ar-H2 Plasma

Ar/Ar-H2 플라즈마에 의한 V, Ta, B 산화물의 탄소용융환원 및 정련

  • Chung, Yong-Sug (Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Yonsei University) ;
  • Park, Byung-Sam (Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Yonsei University) ;
  • Hong, Jin-Seok (Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Yonsei University) ;
  • Bae, Jung-Chan (Production Technology Center, Korea Academy of Industrial Technology) ;
  • Kim, Moon-Chul (Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology) ;
  • Baik, Hong-Koo (Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Yonsei University)
  • 정용석 (연세대학교 금속공학과) ;
  • 박병삼 (연세대학교 금속공학과) ;
  • 홍진석 (연세대학교 금속공학과) ;
  • 배청찬 (생산기술연구원 생산기반기술실용화센터) ;
  • 김문철 (산업과학기술연구소) ;
  • 백홍구 (연세대학교 금속공학과)
  • Published : 1996.06.30

Abstract

The Ar/Ar-$H_2$ plasma method was applied to reduce oxides and refine metals of V, Ta and B. In addition, the high temperature chemical reaction in Ar plasma and of the refining reaction in the Ar-(20%)$H_2$ plasma were analyzed. The crude V of 96wt% purity was obtained at the ratio of $C/V_{2}O_{5}=4.50$ by the Ar plasma reduction grade and the maximum reduction was obtained at $C/V_{2}O_{5}=4.50$ due to the $O_{2}$ loss from the thermal decomposition of vanadium oxide. In the Ar-(20%)$H_2$ plasma refining, the metallic V of 99.2wt% was produced at the ratio of $C/V_{2}O_{5}=4.40$. It was considered that a main refining reaction resulted from the chemical reaction between the residual carbon and residual oxygen. The metallic Ta of 99.8wt% was obtained at the ratio of $C/Ta_{2}O_{5}=5.10$ in a Ar plasma reduction and the Oz loss from the thermal decomposition of tantalum pentoxide did not take place. The deoxidation reaction was more significant than the decarburization reaction in the Ar-(20%)$H_2$ plasma refining and the metallic Ta of 99.9wt% was produced within the range of $C/Ta_{2}O_{5}$ ratio of 4.50 to 5.10. The Vickers hardness of Ta in the above mentioned range was about 220Hv due to the decrease in a residual oxygen by the deoxidation reaction. On the other hand, C is no suitable agent for the reduction of $B_{2}O_{3}$ by the Ar and Ar-$H_2$ plasma. But Fe-B-Si alloy was produced with the reduction of $B_{2}O_{3}$ in the melt when Fe, C, $B_{2}O_{3}$, and ferroboron mixtures were melted by the high frequency induction melting.

Ar/Ar-$H_{2}$ 플라즈마법으로 V, Ta, B산화물과 금속의 환원 및 정련을 행하였다. 다시말해 Ar 플라즈마에서의 고온환원반응 및 Ar-(20%)$H_{2}$ 플라즈마에서의 정련 반응에 대한 연구를 각각 수행하였다. Ar 플라즈마 환원에 의하여 $C/V_{2}O_{5}$=4.50의 비에서 순도 96wt%의 조금속 Vdmf 얻었고, 바나듐 산화물의 열분해에 의한 $O_{2}$의 손실로 인해 $C/V_{2}O_{5}$=4.50에서 최대환원도가 얻어졌다. Ar-(20%)$H_{2}$ 플라즈마 정련에서는 $C/V_{2}O_{5}$=4.40의 비에서 99.2wt%의 금속 V을 얻었고, 주된 정련반응은 잔류탄소와 잔류산소의 반응으로 판단된다. 금속 Ta은 Ar 플라즈마 환원에 의하여 $C/Ta_{2}O_{5}$=5.10의 비에서 99.8wt%가 얻어졌고, $Ta_{2}O_{5}$의 열분해에 의한 $O_{2}$ 손실은 발생하지 않았다. Ar-(20%)$H_{2}$ 플라즈마 정련시 탈산반응이 탈탄반응보다 현저했으며, $C/Ta_{2}O_{5}$비가 4.50-5.10의 범위에서 99.9wt%의 금속 Ta을 제조하였다. 이 비에서는 탈산반응에 의한 잔류산소의 감소로 Ta외 Vickers 경도가 약 220Hv였다. 한편, Ar 및 Ar-$H_{2}$ 플라즈마에 의한 $B_{2}O_{3}$의 환원에는 C이 환원제로서 적합하지 않았으나, Fe원 소재와 C, $B_{2}O_{3}$ 및 페로보론을 고주파 유도 용해하였을 때 용강중에서의 $B_{2}O_{3}$의 환원으로 Fe-B-Si 합금을 얻었다.

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