On the mechanism of zirconium nitride formation by zirconium, zirconia and yttria burning in air

The combustion of Zr and (Zr+ZrO2) powdery mixtures in air was accompanied by major ZrN stabilization. The synthesis of cheap ZrN with the high yield in air was facile and utile. The influence of Y2O3 additive on the content of ZrN the solid combustion products (SCP) was investigated. The reagents and SCP were analyzed by BET, DTA-TGA, XRD, SEM and EDS. Burning temperature was measured by thermal imager. The yield of ZrN in the SCP has been varied by the time regulation of the combustion process. The burning samples were quenched at a certain time to avoid the re-oxidation of the obtained ZrN by oxygen. The quenching of the burned (Zr+ZrO2) samples with the Y2O3 additive was allowed increasing the ZrN yield in SCP up to 66 wt%. The chemical mechanism of ZrN formation in air was discussed and the probable source of ZrN massive formation is suggested.