Analysis of interaction between reactants and substrate materials during the growth of tantalum coatings

We have analyzed interaction between reactants and substrate materials during the reduction of tantalum bromide with cadmium in the course of tantalum deposition on Cu, Fe, Mo, and Ni metallic substrates and the 25Kh3M3NBTsA, Ni₃Al, VKNA, and ZhS32 alloys. The results indicate that molybdenum and nickel substrates are the most stable to the reactants used in this study; copper and iron experience etching; and aluminum, chromium, and titanium are capable of competing with cadmium as a reducing agent. The presence of carbon in the substrate material leads to the formation of tantalum carbide in the metal–coating interfacial layer. In the absence of aluminum, oxygen impurities are likely to be removed as oxybromides. Optimal materials for the fabrication of reaction chambers for tantalum deposition are nickel-coated high-temperature steels.