To reduce the production cost of titanium,a new method for direct preparation of low-oxygen titanium powder by the magnesiothermic reduction of TiO2 with the assistance of a MgCl2−HoCl3 molten salt was proposed. Thermodynamic calculations showed that the magnesiothermic reduction of TiO2 was feasible. However,hindrance of the reduction reaction by the reduction by-product of MgO resulted in a considerably high O concentration in the titanium powder. The addition of HoCl3 to the system significantly reduces the activity of MgO to produce low-oxygen titanium powder. Thermochemical deoxidation and reduction experiments were conducted with MgCl2−HoCl3 molten salt in the temperature range of 1023−1273 K. The results showed that titanium powder with oxygen concentration (mass fraction) below 5.00×10−4 can be prepared at the Mg−MgCl2−HoOCl−HoCl3 equilibrium.
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