Omg Americas, Inc.

Hobart A Barker

Stephen D Dunmead

Alan W Weimer

John P Henley

Kevin J Nilsen

Daniel F Carroll

Pat J DeLuca

Gabrielle R Lasher

Tom J Bunnelle

Joe F Repman

Joseph F Repman

Stephen A Anderson

A transition metal carbide is formed from a precursor mixture comprising at least one of the group consisting of: a transition metal, a transition metal carbide and a transition metal oxide. The precursor mixture may contain the desired transition metal carbide (e.g., WC), but if the desired transition metal carbide is present in the precursor mixture, there is necessarily a significant amount of another compound such as a transition metal oxide, undesired carbide (e.g., W C) or transition metal. The method involves forming an admixture by mixing the precursor mixture with a sufficient amount of carbon to carburize the precursor mixture to the transition metal carbide and reacting the admixture in an inert or reducing atmosphere at a temperature for a time sufficient to convert the admixture to the transition metal carbide, wherein the admixture is reacted in the presence of a means to enhance transfer of heat into the admixture, an inert or reducing gas flowing through at least a portion of the admixture or combination thereof.

Method to produce a transition metal carbide from a partially reduced transition metal compound

A transition metal carbide (e.g., WC) is prepared by the following steps. A carbon-precursor mixture is formed by mixing a precursor comprised of (i) a transition metal oxide (e.g., WO.sub.x) and (ii) a material selected from the group consisting of: a transition metal (e.g., W); a transition metal carbide (e.g., WC) and a substoichiometric carbide (W.sub.2 C), in the presence of a source of carbon (e.g., carbon black) in an amount sufficient to form a reduced mixture comprised of the transition metal carbide and substoichiometric transition metal carbide, wherein the amount of the transition metal oxide and transition metal is essentially zero in said reduced mixture. The carbon-precursor mixture is heated in a reducing atmosphere (e.g., 5 percent hydrogen in argon) to a reducing temperature and for a time sufficient to produce the reduced mixture. The reduced mixture is milled in the presence of a source of carbon in an amount sufficient to carburize the substoichiometric transition metal carbide to form the transition metal upon heating in a reducing atmosphere. Finally, the milled reduced mixture is heated in a reducing atmosphere to a carburizing temperature that is greater than the reducing temperature for a time sufficient to carburize the substoichiometric transition metal carbide to form the transition metal carbide of this invention (e.g., WC).

Method to produce a transition metal carbide from a partially reduced

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Hobart A Barker