About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Advances in Ceramic Materials and Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
Dopant-directed facet engineering of tantalum carbide nanoparticles for high- temperature applications |
| Author(s) |
Stephanie Ortega, Nicolas Stacy-alcantara, Olivia A. Graeve |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Stephanie Ortega |
| Abstract Scope |
Tantalum carbide (TaC), a refractory ultrahigh-temperature ceramic (UHTC), has outstanding thermal stability (~4100 K) and mechanical hardness (15-19 GPa), making it ideal for extreme environment applications. However, its implementation is challenged by defect formation—specifically oxide phases and porosity—that degrade its mechanical properties. Faceted morphologies are hypothesized to facilitate higher green density and improved sinterability in densification processes such as spark plasma sintering. This study explores the morphology control of TaC nanoparticles via solvothermal synthesis, with transition metal dopants (Co, Ti, Ni, Zn) introduced to promote facet formation. Post-synthesis acid washing yielded TaC with minimal oxide content. Electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) revealed dopant-specific facet evolution where faceted nanoparticles measured 50-120 nm and improved particle dispersion. This work demonstrates a dopant-assisted pathway for tailoring TaC particle shape for potentially overcoming processing limitations and enabling enhanced UHTC component fabrication. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |