Microtexture of shock reaction products of niobium and silica mixtures

Abstract

Shock compression experiments on powder mixtures of niobium metal and quartz were conducted for the pressure range of 30–40 GPa by a 25-mm single-stage propellant gun. Chemical reaction occurred above 35 GPa, and products were found to be mainly so-called “Cu3Au-type” Nb3Si, which contained a small amount of oxygen. Microtextures of the specimen were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. A field-emission transmission electron microscope was used for energy-dispersive x-ray analysis of microtextures in small particles found in the SiO2 matrix, and various species with different Nb/Si ratio and oxygen content were shown to be produced through the nonequilibrium process of shock compression.