The niobium target has the same characteristics as its source material. Niobium is a silver-gray, rare, soft and malleable transition metal with a melting point of 2468 ℃, a density of 8.57g/cm3, and a vapor pressure of 0.0755 pa (2741K). The purity of niobium target material can reach more than 99.95%, the grain size is small, the recrystallization structure is good, and the triaxial consistency is good. As a cathode sputtering target, the oxide film formed by it has uniform quality, will not react with other substances in the air, and has a lasting protective effect. It is also used in various superconducting alloys and is a common element in jewelry production.
The target material of 99.95% niobium ingot was obtained by one forging, one pickling, one vacuum annealing, two forging, two pickling, two vacuum annealing, misplacement rolling, three pickling and three vacuum annealing.
In this preparation method, two forging and dislocation rolling are combined, two forging destroys the grain structure inside the target, making the grain size smaller, dislocation rolling makes the grain size inside the target more uniform, and combined with three heat treatment process, the niobium target with small grain size and uniform grain orientation is prepared. The process is simple, the preparation cost is low and the application is wide. The above is a typical micrometallurgical detection picture of the niobium sputtering target, with an average particle size <100μm.
Niobium target application: Niobium target is mainly used in surface engineering materials, such as shipbuilding, chemical industry, liquid crystal display (LCD) and heat resistance, corrosion resistance and high conductivity coating industry, thin film solar industry, low radiation glass industry, flat panel display industry, optical coating industry, tools and decorative coating industry.
Steel production: Niobium is an effective steel microalloying element in which niobium carbide and niobium nitride are formed. These compounds improve grain refinement and delay recrystallization and precipitation hardening. These same niobium alloys are commonly used in pipeline construction.
Superalloy: Up to 6.5% of niobium is used in nickel, cobalt and iron based superalloys for applications such as jet engine components, gas turbines, rocket assemblies, turbocharger systems, heat resistance and combustion equipment. Niobium precipitates to harden the gamma phase in the grain structure of the superalloy.
Superconducting magnet: Niobium germanium (Nb3Ge), niobium tin (Nb3Sn) and niobium titanium alloy are used as type II superconducting wires for superconducting magnets. These superconducting magnets are used in magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear magnetic resonance instruments as well as particle accelerators.
