Titanium carbide (TiC) powders are successfully synthesized by carburization of titanium hydride (TiH2) powders. The TiH2 powders with size lower than 45 μm (-325 Mesh) are optimally produced by the hydrogenation process, and are mixed with graphite powder by ball milling. The mixtures are then heat-treated in an Ar atmosphere at 800-1200oC for carburization to occur. It has been experimentally and thermodynamically determined that the dehydrogenation, “TiH2 = Ti + H2”, and carburization, “Ti + C = TiC”, occur simultaneously over the reaction temperature range. The unreacted graphite content (free carbon) in each product is precisely measured by acid dissolution and by the filtering method, and it is possible to conclude that the maximal carbon stoichiometry of TiC0.94 is accomplished at 1200oC.

In this study, an HP-mod. type(KHR-45A), which is used as a heater tube material in the pyrolysis process, was evaluated for its carburizing properties. It was confirmed from the microstructural observation of the tubes that the volume fraction of carbide increased and that the coarsening of Cr-carbide generated as a degree of carburization increased. The depth of the hardened layer, which is similar to the thickness of the carburized region of each specimen, due to carburization is confirmed by measurement of the micro-Vickers hardness of the cross section tube, which thickness is similar to that of the carburized region of each specimen. Two types of chromium carbides were identified from the EBSD (electron back-scattered diffraction) image and the EDS (energy-dispersive spectroscopy) analysis: Cr-rich M23C6 in the outer region and Cr-rich M7C3 in the inner region of tubes. The EDS analysis revealed a correlation between the ferromagnetic behavior of the tubes and the chromium depletion in the matrix. The chromium depletion in the austenite matrix is the main cause of the magnetization of the carburized tube. The method used currently for the measurement of the carburization of the tubes is confirmed; carburizing evaluation is useful for magnetic flux density measurement. The volume fraction of the carbide increased as the measuring point moved into the carburized side; this was determined from the calculation of the volume fraction in the cross-section image of the tubes. These results are similar to the trends of carburization measurement when those trends were evaluated by measurement of the magnetic flux density.

For pure Molybdenum carburized in mixed gases of argon and carbon monoxide, microstructural observations were carried out. X-ray diffraction analysis for carburized specimens revealed that brittle - layer hardly formed in the case of low carbon monoxide concentration. Fracture strength of the specimen carburized at 1673 K for 16 h is about 550 MPa higher than that of the un-carburized specimen. SEM observation revealed that with increasing carburizing temperature, the region demonstrating a transgranular fracture mode progressed towards the center of specimen. This result means that the grain boundaries were strengthened by the grain boundary diffusion of carbon and the strength of grain boundaries exceeded that of grain itself.

Direct reduction and carburization process was thought one of the best methods to make nano-sized WC powder. The oxide powders were mixed with graphite powder by ball milling in the compositions of WC-5,-10wt%Co. The mixture was heated at the temperatures of for 5 hours in Ar. The reaction time of the reduction and carburization was decreased as heating temperatures and cobalt content increased. The mean size of WC/Co composite powders was about 260 nm after the reactions. And the mean size of WC grains in WC/Co composite powders was about 38 nm after the reaction at for 5 hours.

Ultrafine WC-10wt.%Co cemented carbides powders were synthesized by direct carburization. W-Co composite powders and carbon black powders were mixed by wet ball milling and dried. The mixed powders were heated to 800 with heating rate of 8.2/min and held for various times in flowing . For carbon addition of 140%, the carburization was completed by heating at 80 for 4 hours. The carburization time decreased with increasing amount of carbon and carburization was completed by heating at 800 for 2 hours with carbon addition of 150%. WC-10 wt%Co cemented carbides powders fabricated by direct carburization have nanoscale WC(100 nm) size.