Thermodynamic analysis on Ferro-matrix composites by in-situ carbothermal reduction from vanadium-titanium magnetite

Based on HSC, a computational chemistry software, the thermodynamic analysis and equilibrium composition calculation were carried out for vacuum carbothermal reduction of a mult-component and multi-phase complex system composed of vanadium-titanium magnetite and reductant. The result of thermodynamic analysis showed that Fe is the ultimate stable phase for carbothermal reduction of ferriferous oxides, the reaction Gibbs energy of producing TiC is the lowest among all possible carbothermal reduction of titanium oxides above 1600 K, whereas the reaction Gibbs energy of producing VO ₂ is the lowest among the carbothermal reduction of V ₂O ₅ between 600 K and 1600 K, and VC can be obtained only above 1348 K. High temperature can facilitate the production of VC. The equilibrium composition calculation showed that under the pressure of 2 Pa, the stable existing temperature of Fe is between 400°C and 1300°C , the stable existing temperature of TiC is between 900°C and 1300°C, and the stable existing temperature of VC is between 800°C and 1300°C.