Structure and thermal expansion of NbC complex carbides

Alloying dependences of the crystal lattice parameters at indoor temperature and coefficient of thermal linear exspansion within a 373-1273 K range are determined for complex NbC-base carbides by the method of mathematical expemental design. It is shown that temperature changes in the linear expansion coefficient of certain complex carbides as distinct from NbC have an anomaly (minimum) within 773-973 K caused by occurring reversible phase transformations. An increase in the coefficient of thermal linear expansion and a decrease in hardness of NbC-base tungsten-, molybdenum-, vanadium- and hafnium-alloyed carbides show a weakening of a total chemical bond in the complex carbides during alloying