Determination of the conditions of formation of carbide/carbonitride phase by thermodynamical approach

Transition metal carbide/carbonitride is used as a raw material for cutting tool because of its unique properties (high hardness, excellent wear resistance, and chemical stability). The carbide/carbonitride is prepared by various methods, however, carbothermal reduction of transition metal oxide in inert or nitrogen atmosphere is the most widely used way to produce the transition metal carbide/carbonitride powder because the oxide, carbon, and nitrogen, which are used in the carbothermal reduction, are not expensive compared to those of other precusors. In this study, the conditions for preparing of various carbides/carbonitrides by the carbothermal reduction were determined by constructing stable domains of the carbides/carbonitrides, which were deduced by thermodynamical calculation.