Compositional evolution of zirconium and niobium in the process of high-temperature nitridation of Zr–Nb alloys

The mechanism of formation of zirconium nitride-based ceramics in the single-stage high-temperature nitridation of Zr–Nb alloys with different niobium contents (0.1–10 at%) in a wide temperature range was determined using an oxidative constructing approach. In the process of nitridation, the segregation of a metallic niobium phase occurred with the subsequent formation of NbN. This should be taken into account when producing new high-temperature materials with unique functional properties