The Refining Mechanism of ZrO2-Doped Molybdenum Powder During the Reduction Process

In this work, molybdenum powder was firstly prepared by using the hydrothermal method, and then mixed, dried, and calcined to obtain mixed powder. The processing route involves a molecular-level liquid-liquid doping technique, which causes the uniform distribution of cubic ZrO2 particles in the grains. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe and analyze the reductive raw materials of molybdenum powder and products during various stages. The refinement mechanism of the doped molybdenum powder during the reduction process was analyzed by agglomeration theory. It is believed that nano-sized ZrO2 particles adsorbed on the surface of micro-sized MoO3 and MoO2 powders during the reduction process hinder the growth and fusion of the powder, and thus refine the reduction product, Mo powder. Finally, a mechanism by which zirconia particles inhibit powder growth during molybdenum powder reduction is proposed. This work provides a good research foundation and potential applications for alloy materials.