Abstract
The process of the carbothermic reduction of vanadium (III) oxide was investigated in the temperature range of 1373 to 1873 K by chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis.
In the case of a mixture of V2O3 and C in the molar ratio of 1/3 under pressures between 0.67 and 20 Pa, the low oxygen VC-VO solid solution was formed at lower temperatures than 1373 K, while the medium oxygen VC-VO solid solution was formed at higher temperatures than 1373 K. The former changed to the medium oxygen VC-VO solid solution as the temperature was raised. From the medium oxygen VC-VO solid solution, the V2C phase and the high oxygen VC-VO solid solution, were formed, then the V4O phase was formed from the reaction of them, and finally the vanadium phase was formed by the reaction of the V4O phase and the V2C phase.
In the case of a mixture of V2O3 and C in the molar ratio of 1/4 under pressures between 0.67 and 20 Pa, the final product was the V2C phase which was formed from the medium oxygen VC-VO solid solution.
In the case of a molar ratio of 1/5, the final product, the VC phase, was formed by two different paths under pressures between 0.67 and 20 Pa, while it was formed by a single path under a pressure of 1330 Pa.
