A Novel Process to Synthesize High-Quality Ferrovanadium Nitride

In the present work, high-quality ferrovanadium nitride, which has a relative high nitrogen content and a low carbon content, has been prepared by roasting the mixture of vanadium pentoxide, carbon, and ferric oxide under N₂ atmosphere in the temperature range from 1673 K to 1873 K (1400 °C to 1600 °C). The effects of carbon addition, reaction temperature, and heat treatment process were discussed. It was found that the carbon addition had a great effect on the nitrogen content and residual carbon, and the optimum carbon content was established to obtain the maximum nitrogen content and low carbon content. The reaction temperature in the range from 1673 K to 1873 K (1400 °C to 1600 °C) has a smaller effect on the final nitrogen content, and it also affects the degree of agglomeration of particles, which were observed by scanning electron microscope. From the results of thermodynamic calculation, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was deduced that the reaction sequence of V₂O₅ with N₂ from 1673 K to 1873 K (1400 °C to 1600 °C) was V₂O₅ → VO₂ → V₂O₃ → V(N, C, O) → V(N, C). There is a little solid solubility of carbon in the final product VN.