Low temperature synthesis of TaB2 nanorods by molten-salt assisted borothermal reduction

TaB2 powders were synthesized by a molten-salt assisted borothermal reduction method at 900 degrees C-1000 degrees C in flowing argon using Ta2O5 and amorphous B as starting materials. The results indicated that the presence of liquid phase, such as B2O3 and NaCl/KCl, accelerated the mass transfer of reactant species and resulted in the complete finish of the reaction at low temperatures. The obtained TaB2 powders exhibited a flow-like shape assembled from nanorods grow along [001] direction or c-axis. The morphology of the synthesized TaB2 powders could be tailored by the amount of B2O3 or NaCl/KCl.