Metal–Silicon Systems

This chapter concerns the adiabatic properties of thirteen exothermic metal–silicon systems. Systems like these have been used in self-propagating high-temperature synthesis or SHS processes. These reactions produce refractory silicide compounds. Reactive metals of interest include magnesium (Mg), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni). Notable products include titanium silicides such as TiSi and TiSi₂, as well as zirconium silicides such as ZrSi₂ and Zr₅Si₃. The thermochemical descriptions within this chapter were derived from the FactPS and FToxid databases of FactSage 7.0. Each section contains an adiabatic temperature chart and one or more written descriptions of particular reactant ratios. These temperature points describe points of interest along the adiabatic temperature profiles. Similarly, gas points would have been used to refer to adiabatic gas production profiles. None of the metal–silicon systems that are described in this chapter are expected to produce any amount of gas. Some of the adiabatic temperature charts contain flat regions where the adiabatic temperature remains constant despite variations in the stoichiometry of the system. Some of these temperature plateaus are described and explained.