Use of niobium. Niobium production in Russia

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

It is worth starting with the fact that niobium is inextricably linked with a substance such as tantalum. This is despite the fact that these materials were not opened at the same time.

What is niobium

What is known today about such a substance as niobium? It is a chemical element that is located in the 5th group of the periodic table, having an atomic number of 41, as well as an atomic mass of 92.9. Like many other metals, this substance is characterized by a steel-gray luster.

One of the most important physical parameters of this metal was its refractoriness. It is due to this characteristic that the use of niobium has become widespread in many industries. The melting point of this substance is 2468 degrees Celsius and the boiling point is 4927 degrees Celsius.

The chemical properties of this substance are also at a high level. It is characterized by a high level of resistance to negative temperatures, as well as to most aggressive environments.

Production

It is worth mentioning that the presence of ore that contains the element Nb (niobium) is much greater than that of tantalum, but the problem lies in the scarcity of the content of the element itself in this ore.

Most often, in order to obtain this element, a thermal reduction process is carried out, in which aluminum or silicon is involved. As a result of this operation, ferroniobium and ferrotantaloniobium compounds are obtained. It is worth noting that the production of a metallic version of this substance is carried out from the same ore, but a more complex technology is used. Niobium crucibles and other resulting materials are characterized by very high performance.

Methods for obtaining niobium

Currently, one of the most developed areas for obtaining this material are aluminothermic, sodium-thermal and carbothermal. The difference between these types also lies in the precursors that are used to reduce niobium. Let's say K2NbF7 is used in the sodium thermal method. But, for example, in the aluminothermic method, niobium pentoxide is used.

If we talk about the carbothermic method of obtaining, then this technology implies the mixing of Nb with soot. This process should take place in a high-temperature and hydrogen environment. As a result of this operation, niobium carbide will be obtained. The second stage is that the hydrogen medium is replaced by a vacuum one, and the temperature is maintained. At this point, to the niobium carbideits oxide is added and the metal itself is obtained.

It is important to note that among the forms of produced metal, niobium in ingots is quite common. This product is intended for the production of metal base alloy, as well as various other semi-finished products.

A stick of this material can also be produced, which is divided into several categories depending on the purity of the substance. The smallest amount of impurities is contained in the rod labeled NBSh-00. The NBSh-0 class is characterized by a higher presence of such elements as iron, titanium and tantalum silicon. The category that has the highest impurity rate is NBSh-1. It can be added that niobium in ingots does not have such a classification.

Alternative production methods

Alternative methods include crucibleless electron beam zone melting. This process makes it possible to obtain single crystals of Nb. Niobium crucibles are produced using this method. It belongs to powder metallurgy. It is used in order to first obtain an alloy of this material, and then its pure sample. The presence of this method has caused the advertisements for the purchase of niobium to be quite common. This method makes it possible to use not the ore itself, which is quite difficult to extract, or a concentrate from it, but secondary raw materials to obtain pure metal.

Another alternative production method is rolling niobium. It is worth noting that most of the various firms givepreference for buying rods, wire or sheet metal.

Rolled and foil

Foil from this material is a fairly common semi-finished product. It is the thinnest rolled sheet of this substance. This raw material is used for the production of some products and parts. Niobium foil is obtained from pure raw materials by cold rolling Nb ingots. The resulting products are characterized by such indicators as high resistance to corrosion, aggressive environments, and high temperatures. The rolling of niobium and its ingots also gives such characteristics as wear resistance of the product, high ductility, and good machinability.

Products obtained in this way are most often used in such areas as aircraft manufacturing, rocket science, medicine (surgery), radio engineering, electrical engineering, nuclear energy, nuclear energy. The niobium foil is packaged in coils and stored in a dry place, protected from moisture, as well as in a place protected from mechanical impact from outside.

Application in electrodes and alloys

The use of niobium is very widespread. It can be used, like chromium and nickel, as a material that is part of the iron alloy used to make electrodes. Due to the fact that niobium, like tantalum, is able to form superhard carbides, it is often used to produce superhard alloys. You can add what is currently being tried with this materialimprove the properties of alloys derived from non-ferrous metals.

Since niobium is a raw material capable of creating carbide elements, it, like tantalum, is used as an alloying mixture in steel production. It should be noted that for a long time the use of niobium as an impurity to tantalum was considered a negative effect. However, today the opinion has changed. It was found that Nb can act as a substitute for tantalum, and with great success, because due to the lower atomic mass, less substance can be used, while retaining all the old features and effects of the product.

Electrical applications

It is worth emphasizing that the use of niobium, like its brother tantalum, is possible in rectifiers, due to the fact that they have the property of unipolar conductivity, that is, these substances pass electrical current in only one direction. It is possible to use this metal to create devices such as anodes, which are used in high-power generators and amplifier tubes.

It is very important to note that the use of niobium has reached the nuclear power industry. In this industry, products made from this substance are used as structural materials. This is made possible because the presence of Nb in the parts makes them resistant to heat and also gives them high qualities of chemical resistance.

The excellent physical characteristics of this metal have led to the fact that it is quite widely used in rocket technology, in jetaircraft, in gas turbines.

Niobium production in Russia

If we talk about the reserves of this ore, then there are about 16 million tons. The largest deposit, occupying approximately 70% of the total volume, is located in Brazil. On the territory of Russia, about 25% of the reserves of this ore are located. This indicator is considered a significant part of all niobium reserves. The largest deposit of this substance is located in Eastern Siberia, as well as in the Far East. To date, the Lovozersky GOK company is engaged in the extraction and production of this substance on the territory of the Russian Federation. It can be seen that the Stalmag company was also engaged in the production of niobium in Russia. It was developing the Tatar deposit of this ore, but was closed in 2010.

It can also be added that the Solikamsk magnesium plant is engaged in the production of niobium oxide. They get it by processing loparite concentrate. This enterprise produces from 400 to 450 tons of this substance, most of which is exported to countries such as the United States and Germany. Part of the remaining oxide goes to the Chepetsky Mechanical Plant, which produces both pure niobium and its alloys. There are significant capacities that allow to produce up to 100 tons of material per year.

Niobium metal and its cost

Despite the fact that the scope of this substance is quite wide, the main purpose is the space and nuclear industry. For this reason, Nb is classified as a strategic material.

The main parameters thataffect the cost of niobium:

• alloy purity, a large amount of impurities reduces the price;
• material delivery form;
• volumes of supplied material;
• location of the ore receiving point (different regions need different amounts of the element, and therefore the price for it is different).

Approximate list of material prices in Moscow:

• niobium grade NB-2 costs between 420-450 rubles per kg;
• niobium chips cost from 500 to 510 rubles per kg;
• Stab NBSh-00 costs from 490 to 500 rubles per kg.

It is worth noting that, despite the huge cost of this product, the demand for it is only increasing.