Micro-, submicron-, and nano-scale titanium dioxide particles were reduced by reduction with a metallic calcium reductant in calcium chloride molten salt at 1173 K, and the reduction mechanism of the oxides by the calcium reductant was explored. These oxide particles, metallic calcium as a reducing agent, and calcium chloride as a molten salt were placed in a titanium crucible and heated under an argon atmosphere. Titanium dioxide was reduced to metallic titanium through a calcium titanate and lower titanium oxide, and the materials were sintered together to form a micro-porous titanium structure in molten salt at high temperature. The reduction rate of titanium dioxide was observed to increase with decreasing particle size; accordingly, the residual oxygen content in the reduced titanium decreases. The obtained micro-porous titanium appeared dark gray in color because of its low surface reflection. Micro-porous metallic titanium with a low oxygen content (0.42 wt%) and a large surface area (1.794 m 2 g -1 ) can be successfully obtained by reduction under optimal conditions. Key words: Titanium, Calcium, Calciothermic reduction, Nano-particles, Electrolytic capacitor
IntroductionMetallic calcium can easily reduce a large number of metal oxides directly to metals because calcium has a strong reducing ability. The reduction of metal oxides with a calcium reductant in calcium chloride molten salt at high temperature, well known as the calciothermic reaction, has long been widely investigated by many researchers. During oxide reduction, calcium chloride molten salt acts as a suitable solvent and has a high solubility for calcium and calcium oxide as a byproduct formed by reduction. [11] are formed via reduction of these oxides with a calcium reductant in calcium chloride molten salt. The residual oxygen in the reduced metal decreases continuously by deoxidation with a calcium reductant [4]. Pure metals, alloys, and intermetallic compounds with a lower residual oxygen content can be successfully fabricated by a one-step reduction technique. Reduction with a calcium reductant is a simpler technique for the production of these metals without complicated processes such as the Kroll process, although reduction is a batch-type production method.In recent years, a method for the successive reduction of metal oxides was developed by electrolysis in calcium chloride and calcium oxide mixture molten salts. Ono and Suzuki reported that calcium oxide in molten calcium chloride becomes the reductant source for the reduction of metal oxides during constant-voltage electrolysis [12]. For example, metallic calcium formed electrochemically at a cathode reacts with metal oxides, and reduced metals with a low residual oxygen content can be formed (OS (Ono and Suzuki) Kyoto process). Metallic titanium [13][14][15], niobium [16], nickel [17], and other alloys and intermetallic compounds [18,19] can be formed via the OS process. In addition, the electrochemical decomposition of carbon dioxide gas by an advanced OS process using ...