Plasma Dynamic Synthesis of Cubic Tungsten Carbide and the Influence of the Gas Atmosphere Parameters

• Published in: Surface investigation, x-ray, synchrotron and neutron techniques Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 361 - 370
• Main Authors: Sivkov, A. A., Shanenkov, I. I., Shanenkova, Yu. L., Nikitin, D. S., Rakhmatullin, I. A., Tsimmerman, A. I., Shanenkova, N. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.03.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chambers; Chemistry and Materials Science; Electric discharges; Materials Science; Parameters; Particle size distribution; Plasma; Plasma jets; Shock waves; Surfaces and Interfaces; Synthesis; Thin Films; Tungsten carbide; coaxial magnetoplasma accelerator; transmission electron microscopy; shock-wave structure; plasma dynamic synthesis; nanodispersed particles; plasma jet; cubic tungsten carbide
• ISSN: 1027-4510; 1819-7094
• DOI: 10.1134/S1027451021020324

Cubic tungsten carbide WC 1 –  x is obtained in a supersonic jet of carbon-tungsten electrical discharge plasma generated by a coaxial magnetoplasma accelerator with graphite electrodes. A WC 1 –  x crystalline phase with a mass content of up to 90% in the product is formed as nanodispersed particles with average sizes of up to ~20 nm. The paper analyzes the influence of the parameters of the gas atmosphere (pressure, type) on the development of the shock-wave structure of a plasma jet flowing into the free space of the reactor chamber and on the formation of product particles. The most optimal pressure ranges and the type of gaseous medium in the reactor chamber are determined. The possibility of controlling the phase and particle size distribution of the plasma-dynamic-synthesis product in the W–C system is also shown.