Method of producing refractory metals and refractory metal compounds in powder form

Claim 2

The process of claim 1, wherein the crystallization seeds are derived from a seed-forming substance.

Claim 3

The process of claim 3, wherein the seed-forming substance is selected from the group consisting of tungsten hexachloride, molybdenum pentachloride, titanium tetraiodide and carbon tetrachloride.

Claim 4

In a process of producing powdered refractory metal compounds selected from the group consisting of carbides, borides and nitrides of the refractory metals Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W by the reaction of a gaseous halide of a selected refractory metal with a reactant selected from the group consisting of carbon-containing, boron-containing and nitrogen-containing reactants in a reaction chamber, the improvement wherein the reaction is accelerated by means of a seed-initiating reaction comprising subjecting a gas mixture of the reactants to localized heating by electrically induced sparks.

Claim 5

In a process of producing powdered titanium compounds selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, titanium boride and titanium nitride by the reaction of a titanium halide gas with a reactant selected from the group consisting of carbon-containing, boron-containing and nitrogen-containing reactants in a reaction chamber, the improvement wherein the reaction is accelerated in the presence of crystallization seeds.

Claim 6

The process of claim 6, wherein the crystallization seeds are fine particles of titanium.

Claim 7

The process of claim 6, wherein the crystallization seeds are derived from a seed-forming substance.

Claim 8

The process of claim 8, wherein the seed-forming substance is selected from the group consisting of tungsten hexachloride, molybdenum pentachloride, titanium tetraiodide and carbon tetrachloride.

Claim 9

In a process of producing powdered titanium carbide by the reaction of gaseous titanium tetrachloride with a carbon-containing gas in a reaction chamber, the improvement wherein the reaction is accelerated in the presence of crystallization seeds.

Claim 10

The process of claim 10, wherein the crystallization seeds are derived during the reaction from a seed-forming substance.

Claim 11

The process of claim 11, wherein the seed-forming substance is selected from the group consisting of tungsten hexachloride, molybdenUm pentachloride, titanium tetraiodide and carbon tetrachloride.

Claim 12

In a process of producing powdered titanium carbide by the reaction of gaseous titanium tetrachloride with methane and hydrogen, the hydrogen being in stoichiometric excess to the amount of titanium tetrachloride present, the improvement wherein the reaction is accelerated in the presence of crystallization seeds formed by the hydrogen reduction of a small but effective amount of a seed-forming substance selected from the group consisting of tungsten hexachloride, molybdenum pentachloride, titanium tetraiodide and carbon tetrachloride.