Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Vanadium Diboride with the Use of Nanofibrous Carbon

Reduction of vanadium(III) oxide with boron carbide and nanofibrous carbon in an induction furnace in argon was used to obtain a highly dispersed vanadium diboride powder. The characteristics of vanadium diboride powders were studied by various analytical methods. It was found that the material obtained contains only a single phase, vanadium diboride, with powder particles mostly aggregated, the average size of particles and aggregates being 9.8 mu m at a wide particle size distribution. The optimal synthesis parameters were determined: V2O3 : B4C : C ratio corresponding to the stoichiometry, temperature 1700 degrees C, and keeping time 20 min.