The unique combination of physical and chemical properties of molybdenum, required by modern material science, predetermines the variety of applications of molybdenum-containing alloys and molybdenumcontaining metal products: metallurgy, various-profile mechanical engineering, electro-thermal equipment, as well as the need to systematize and update the scientific and technological information accumulated in molybdenum metallurgy. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the current state of molybdenum production and application, including such issues as production of molybdenum trioxide, molybdenum and its alloys, industrial range of molybdenum and its alloys products, molybdenum consumption structure, identification of dominant trends and their forecasting in the medium term.Technical and economical information on production and consumption of molybdenum trioxide, molybdenum and its alloys was evaluated and systematized. The existing range of products from molybdenum and its alloys, the structure of world molybdenum consumption were evaluated, dominant trends and forecasts for the nearest period were determined. It was stated, that the main technology of molybdenum production is hydrogen reduction from high purity trioxide (up to 99.9%) in the form of powder followed by its compaction. The main producers of molybdenum are the United States, Chile, China, Peru, Canada and Mexico, which account for more than 90% of world production. In 2018, global consumption of molybdenum was about 262,000 tons, about 20% less than in 2011–2012. Ferromolybdenum is produced in Russia and abroad of various brands with molybdenum content of 50– 70%. Currently, the producers of ferromolybdenum in Russia are Sorsky, Zhireken ferromolybdenum and Nizhnevolzhsky ferroalloy plants. The total production capacity of Russian enterprises is estimated at 8.5 thousand tons of ferromolybdenum per year. Metallurgical enterprises of Russia declare production of 33 different types of intermediate products and final products from molybdenum and its alloys.

Results of the XXI International scientific and practical conference “Metallurgy: technologies, innovations, quality” presented, devoted to the 90-th anniversary of SibGIU, which took place on October 23–24, 2019, at the SibGIU site (Novokuznetsk). The work of the conference was organized in the frame of plenary session and sessions of the following sections: fundamental research; theory, simulation and technology of metallurgical processes; theory and technology of metal materials processing; foundry; metal forming; thermal treatment; theory and technology of welding processes; powder metallurgy and composition materials and coatings; heat- and mass-transfer in metallurgical processes and facilities; resources- and energy saving; ecology and wastes utilization. Scientists-metallurgists and specialists took part in the conference, representing 80 education and research organizations, industrial plants from 40 cities of Russia, China, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, Brazil, Austria, Israel, Poland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia. 160 reports were received by the organization committee of the conference. The review of the reports, devoted to solving of scientific and application tasks in the area of ferrous metallurgy that arose the highest attention of the conference participants.

Molybdenum has a complex of practically significant properties and is widely used for alloying steels and cast irons, in the composition of alloys of various purposes, as well as a structural material in pure form. Molybdenum belongs to the group of rare metals, which causes the relevance of analytical research of the modern state of the mineral- raw material base of molybdenum, extraction and processing of molybdenum-containing ores. The results of analysis of the mineral-raw material base of molybdenum of foreign countries and Russia, assessment of prospects of its expansion are presented. The confirmed world molybdenum resources amount to 12 million tons, including domestic – 2 million tons. 75% of molybdenum reserves are concentrated in the USA, China, Chile, Peru and Canada. Description of the types of deposits of molybdenum, copper-molybdenum and molybdenum-tungsten ores, the main types of molybdenum minerals has been quoted. Methods of ore concentration of various composition for production of molybdenum concentrates, additional enrichment of molybdenum concentrate and industrial practice of molybdenum concentrate processing are considered. In terms of ore quality domestic and foreign raw material base of molybdenum are comparable. 63% of domestic production of molybdenum-containing ores is provided by OJSC “Sorsky GOK”, 33% – OJSC “Zhirekenskiy GOK”. These enterprises produce molybdenum concentrates of grades КМФ-5, КМФ-6, КМФ-7. Their production capacity is about 12 thousand tons of concentrate per year. Molybdenum concentrates are processed by pyro- and hydrometallurgical methods and are an industrial product for production of ferromolybdenum and its chemical compounds. The total capacity of molybdenum concentrate processing plants is 300 thousand tons per year.

During the research, rolled scale and gas cleaning slimes from oxygen-converter workshop No. 1 of JSC “EVRAZ ZSMK” were used as iron-oxide-containing materials. Semi-coke from brown coals of the Berezovskoye deposit of the Kansko-Achinsk basin (temperature of semi-coking is 750 °C), coke fines of PJSC “Coke” and dust from coke dry-quenching plant of JSC “EVRAZ ZSMK” were used as carbon reducing agents. Total iron, FeO and Fe2 O 3 oxides amount to 73.3, 75.5 and 20.9 % in scale, 41.2, 4.7 and 53.7 % in sludge, respectively. Sludge also contains 4.3 % of total carbon and 20.6 % of CaO. Brown-coal semi-coke, coke fines and coke dust contains carbon and volatiles 94.05 and 9.5 %, 97.50 and 2.1 %, 97.47 and 1.6 % on dry ashless weight, respectively. For metallization of furnace charges with composition: scale, slime–semi-coke, coke fines, dust with addition of 10 % water-soluble binding–molasses, strong unroasted briquettes were pressed. Metallization modes of analyzed charge compositions were thermodynamically predicted and technologically determined. Metallization degree and metal iron content at usage of brown-coal semi-coke were found to be 97.5 and 90.2 % for scale, 97.5 and 71.3 % for sludge; of coke fines: 70.7 and 61.9 % for scale, 68.9 and 48.4 % for sludge; of coke dust: 72.1 and 62.6 % for scale, 69.2 and 48.2 % for sludge. The possibility of achievement the metallization degree of 97.0 – 98.0 % was established for briquetted charge from scale – brown-coal semi-coke with 92.0 – 93.0 % of total iron, 89.8 – 90.6 % of metallic iron, 2.8 – 3.2 % of FeO, 0.06 – 0.08 % of S, 0.016 – 0.018 % of P, 1.7 – 1.9 % of C, 1.0 – 1.2 % of CaO and 0.25 – 0.35 % of MgO at 1173 K and duration of 40 min.

During the research, rolled scale and gas cleaning slimes from oxygen-converter workshop No. 1 of JSC “EVRAZ ZSMK” were used as iron-oxide-containing materials. Semi-coke from brown coals of the Berezovskoye deposit of the Kansko-Achinsk basin (temperature of semi-coking is 750 °C), coke fines of PJSC “Coke” and dust from coke dry-quenching plant of JSC “EVRAZ ZSMK” were used as carbon reducing agents. Total iron, FeO and Fe2 O 3 oxides amount to 73.3, 75.5 and 20.9 % in scale, 41.2, 4.7 and 53.7 % in sludge, respectively. Sludge also contains 4.3 % of total carbon and 20.6 % of CaO. Brown-coal semi-coke, coke fines and coke dust contains carbon and volatiles 94.05 and 9.5 %, 97.50 and 2.1 %, 97.47 and 1.6 % on dry ashless weight, respectively. For metallization of furnace charges with composition: scale, slime–semi-coke, coke fines, dust with addition of 10 % water-soluble binding–molasses, strong unroasted briquettes were pressed. Metallization modes of analyzed charge compositions were thermodynamically predicted and technologically determined. Metallization degree and metal iron content at usage of brown-coal semi-coke were found to be 97.5 and 90.2 % for scale, 97.5 and 71.3 % for sludge; of coke fines: 70.7 and 61.9 % for scale, 68.9 and 48.4 % for sludge; of coke dust: 72.1 and 62.6 % for scale, 69.2 and 48.2 % for sludge. The possibility of achievement the metallization degree of 97.0 – 98.0 % was established for briquetted charge from scale – brown-coal semi-coke with 92.0 – 93.0 % of total iron, 89.8 – 90.6 % of metallic iron, 2.8 – 3.2 % of FeO, 0.06 – 0.08 % of S, 0.016 – 0.018 % of P, 1.7 – 1.9 % of C, 1.0 – 1.2 % of CaO and 0.25 – 0.35 % of MgO at 1173 K and duration of 40 min.

Silicon carbide may be produced from fine-grain batch consisting of two main components: microsilica waste; and semicoke obtained from Berezovsk lignite (Kansko-Achinsk Basin). The physicochemical properties of the silicon carbide are certified in the present work. Two forms of microsilica are considered: (1) microsilica formed in the production of silicon (containing 93.41–95.33% SiO 2 ; 1.96–3.28% C free ; 0.30–0.34% Si free ; and 1.25–1.45% CaO + Fe 2 O 3 + MnO); (2) microsilica formed in the production of high-silica ferrosilicon: (containing 91.72–93.63% SiO 2 ; 0.56–1.18% C free ; 0.18–0.20% Si free ; and 1.38–2.32% CaO + Fe 2 O 3 + MnO). Its specific surface is 21000–24000 m 2 /kg. The microsilica is inclined to form spherical aggregates measuring 200–800 nm. The aggregates consist of spherical particles ranging in size from 30 to 100 nm. The lignite semicoke contains 94.05% carbon, 9.2% ash, 0.2% sulfur, and 0.007% phosphorus; its specific surface is 264000 m 2 /kg. The composition of the silicon carbide is investigated, along with its specific surface; the size and shape of the carbide particles are determined. In both cases, the predominant phase is cubic silicon carbide (β-SiC), with an accompanying glassy phase consisting of silicates of calcium, magnesium, and iron. When the batch containing microsilica from ferrosilicon production, the silicon carbide is accompanied by α iron. In synthesis at 1923 and 1973 K for 50 and 90 min, respectively, polymorphic conversion of β-SiC to α-SiC p is observed. The content of silicon carbide in the products is 82.52–84.90%. Chemical enrichment of silicon carbide proves expedient. The optimal enrichment conditions are as follows: the action of hydrochloric acid (concentration no less than 35%) at 353 K for 3 h, with a 1:2 solid/liquid ratio. The enrichment characteristics are as follows: the content of silicon carbide in the products is 90.42–91.10%; and 87–95% of the impurities (metal oxides and iron) are removed. The silicon carbide is obtained as micropowder consisting of irregular particles (size 0.2–1.0 μm) with specific surface 8000–9000 m 2 /kg.

The paper describes the conducted physical-chemical certification of silicone carbide, obtained from fine-grained charge of two kinds, which contains microsilica formed at the production of silicon and high-silicon ferrosilicium, as well as semicoke from brown coal of Beresovskii deposit of Kansk-Achinsk basin. Microsilca of both kinds contains 93.41 – 95.33 % and 91.72 – 93.00 %, 63 % of SiO 2 ; 1.96 – 3.28 % and 0.56 – 1.18 % of С своб . ; 0.30 – 0.34 % and 0.18 – 0.20 % of Si своб . ; 1.25 – 1.45 % and 1.38 – 2.32 % of (CaO + Fe 2 O3 + MnO). Microsilica has a specific surface of 21 000 – 24 000 m 2 /kg and is inclined to aggregation with the formation of spherical units with the size of 200 – 800 nm. The units consist of spherical particles with a dimensional diapason from 30 to 100 nm. Brown-coal semicoke contains 94.05 % of carbon; 9.2 % of ash; 0.2 % of sulfur; 0.007 % of phosphorus and has a specific surface of 264 000 kg/m 2 . Phase and chemical compositions of silicone carbide, its specific surface, the size and the form of carbide particles have been studied. It has been established that in both cases predominate phase is silicon carbide of a cubical structure (β-SiC), but an accompanied one is a glassy phase, formed with lime silicate, magnesium and iron. At carburizing of charge, containing microsilca of the production of ferrosilicium, α-iron accompanies to silicon carbide. At the synthesis temperature of 1923 and 1973 K and the duration of 50 and 90 minutes polymorthic transformation of β-SiC into α-SiC II occurs. The content of silicon carbide in the products of carbonization is 82,52 – 84,90 %. The authors of the work have established the viability and optimal conditions of chemical enrichment of silicon carbide: influence of hydrochloric acid with the concentration of not less than 35 % at the temperature of 353 K, ratio of Т:Ж = 1:2, durability of 3 hours. The indexes of chemical enrichment have been defined: the content of silicon carbide in the products of enrichment is 90.42 – 91.10 %, removal of impurities of metal and iron oxides of 87 – 95 %. Silicon carbide appears as micropowder with the particles of wrong form with the dimensional range of 0.2 – 1.0 um with the specific surface of 8000 – 9000 m 2 /kg.

The paper describes the conducted physical-chemical certification of silicone carbide, obtained from fine-grained charge of two kinds, which contains microsilica formed at the production of silicon and high-silicon ferrosilicium, as well as semicoke from brown coal of Beresovskii deposit of Kansk-Achinsk basin. Microsilca of both kinds contains 93.41 – 95.33 % and 91.72 – 93.00 %, 63 % of SiO 2 ; 1.96 – 3.28 % and 0.56 – 1.18 % of С своб . ; 0.30 – 0.34 % and 0.18 – 0.20 % of Si своб . ; 1.25 – 1.45 % and 1.38 – 2.32 % of (CaO + Fe 2 O3 + MnO). Microsilica has a specific surface of 21 000 – 24 000 m 2 /kg and is inclined to aggregation with the formation of spherical units with the size of 200 – 800 nm. The units consist of spherical particles with a dimensional diapason from 30 to 100 nm. Brown-coal semicoke contains 94.05 % of carbon; 9.2 % of ash; 0.2 % of sulfur; 0.007 % of phosphorus and has a specific surface of 264 000 kg/m 2 . Phase and chemical compositions of silicone carbide, its specific surface, the size and the form of carbide particles have been studied. It has been established that in both cases predominate phase is silicon carbide of a cubical structure (β-SiC), but an accompanied one is a glassy phase, formed with lime silicate, magnesium and iron. At carburizing of charge, containing microsilca of the production of ferrosilicium, α-iron accompanies to silicon carbide. At the synthesis temperature of 1923 and 1973 K and the duration of 50 and 90 minutes polymorthic transformation of β-SiC into α-SiC II occurs. The content of silicon carbide in the products of carbonization is 82,52 – 84,90 %. The authors of the work have established the viability and optimal conditions of chemical enrichment of silicon carbide: influence of hydrochloric acid with the concentration of not less than 35 % at the temperature of 353 K, ratio of Т:Ж = 1:2, durability of 3 hours. The indexes of chemical enrichment have been defined: the content of silicon carbide in the products of enrichment is 90.42 – 91.10 %, removal of impurities of metal and iron oxides of 87 – 95 %. Silicon carbide appears as micropowder with the particles of wrong form with the dimensional range of 0.2 – 1.0 um with the specific surface of 8000 – 9000 m 2 /kg.

The experience of production and study on properties of nano-disperse chromium and titanium borides and carbides, and silicon carbide has been generalized. The structure and special service aspects of utilized plasma-metallurgical complex equipped with a three-jet direct- flow reactor with a capacity of 150 kW have been outlined. Processing, heat engineering and service life characteristics of the reactor are specified. The synthesis parameters of borides and carbides, as well as their basic characteristics in nano-disperse condition and their production flow diagram are outlined. Engineering and economic performance of synthesizing borides in laboratory and industrial conditions is assessed, and the respective segment of the international market as well.

The condition of the original thermodynamic data of base chemical reactions between silicon and oxygen fl owing to form carbon monoxide and silicon dioxide have been analyzed. As a base for the parameter estimation of phase and chemical equilibrium in systems containing oxygen, the oxygen partial pressure was taken in the gas phase. The equilibrium value PSiO and PO2 was calculated for silicon alloys with values X|Si| = 0.1–1.0 at temperature range 1700 – 2300 K in a gas phase consisting of oxygen and silicon monoxide. The eff ect of the silicon oxide activity in the slag melt on the equilibrium composition of the gas phase was determined for systems “alloy – slag – carbon – dioxide”. It has been shown that temperature has the greatest eff ect on the gas phase composition at high-silicon alloys (aSi > 0.2). The diagram of phase and chemical equilibrium of Si – O – C shows that the boundaries of the monovariant SiO2 – C – gas, SiO2 – SiC – gas and SiO2 – Si – gas with a decrease in activity SiO2 in the melted slag are shifted toward higher temperatures and at a given temperature the concentration of silicon monoxide and oxygen are reduced.

The paper presents the researches at the temperatures of 1873, 1923, 1973 К and duration of 5 – 30 min of carbidization of briquetted monocharges, consisting of microsilica, formed at the production of silicon and its alloys and diff erent carbon deoxidizers: brown coal and coal-mine semi-cokes, coke fi nes and coke dust. It has been established that the highest indicators are reached at carbidization with the use of brown coal semi-coke of Berezovskii deposits of Kansk-Achinsk basin: the yield of silicon carbide is 97.00 – 97.62 % at its content in the products of carbidization of 82.52 – 84.90 %. The optimum temperature-time conditions and the indicators of carbidization have been defi ned, namely: the temperature of 1923 – 1973 К at the duration of 20 – 15 min. The dominant phase in the products of carbidization is silicon carbide of a cubic structure (β-SiC). As a result of chemical enrichment, the content of SiC in carbide is 90 – 91 %, i.e. it is higher than in abrasive micropowders with the granularity of 1 – 2 μm. The enrichment effi ciency from the impurity of oxides and iron is high and makes 87 – 95 %. For silicon carbide a high content of silica is typical – more than 7 %; that allows considering it as a perspective material for the production of carbide-silicic refractory materials on a silica band. Silicon carbide has been received in the form of micropowder with the particles of irregular form with a size diapason of 0.2 – 1.0 μm.

The article gives the thermodynamic assessment of the probability of hydrogen removal processes from the welded metal during welding under fl uoride fl ux in standard states at the temperature range 1700 – 2200 K. Na3AlF6 ж , ЅіО2 ж , SiF4 г , NaAlO2 тв , Na2SiO3 ж , CaF2 ж , CaSiO3 тв , Н2 г , SiF2 г , HFг , О2 г , SiFг , Ng have been selected as the standard states for substances reagents. As the result of calculation of standard Gibbs energy and the equilibrium constants of the reactions, it has been determined that the reactions of direct interaction between fl uorine agents of slag with hydrogen and oxygen in metal are the most probable reactions of the interaction with cryolite. In more complex mechanism of interaction involving in the reactions, except fl oriental, silica slag and the possible formation of an intermediate product SiF4 г , process of interaction with the fl uorite is more probable. The calculations have shown the feasibility of using Na3AlF6 compounds with fl uorite for hydrogen removal in submerged-arc welding. The calculations have formed the basis for the development of new compositions of fl ux-additives, protected by patents of the Russian Federation.

The formation of silicon carbide from briquetted batch consisting of microsilica waste from silicon and silicon-alloy production is investigated. The batch is treated at 1873, 1923, and 1973 K, for 5–30 min, with various reducing agents: lignite semicoke, coal semicoke, coke breeze, and coke dust. The best results are obtained when using lignite semicoke from the Berezovsk deposit in Kansko-Achinsk Basin: the yield of silicon carbide is 97.00–97.62%; it constitutes 82.52–84.90% of the products obtained. The optimal treatment temperature and time are determined: 1923–1973 K for 15–20 min. The products consist predominantly of cubic silicon carbide (β SiC). Chemical enrichment increases the SiC content in the products to 90–91%; this is higher than in abrasive micropowder of grain size 1–2 μm. The effectiveness of enrichment in terms of oxide and iron impurities is high: 87–95%. The silicon carbide is characterized by a high silica content: more than 7%. Accordingly, it may be regarded as a promising material for the production of siliconcarbide refractories used in silica binder. Silicon carbide is obtained as micropowder with irregular particles in the size range 0.2–1.0 μm.

The equilibrium compositions of high-silicon metallic melts coexisting with CaO–Al2O3–SiO2 slag are determined. The dependence of the activity a of silicon in ferrosilicon melts is formulated as activity isolines on the Fe–Si phase diagram. The dependence of log \({P_{{O_2}}}\) on x Si and T is determined at 1823, 1873, and 1973 K. The influence of \({a_{Si{O_2}}}\) which depends on x Si and T, on the equilibrium composition of the gas phase \({P_{{O_2}}}\) is studied. Data on the activity of silicon dioxide in CaO–Al2O3–SiO2 slags is analyzed and corrected. At fixed temperature, each alloy of specified composition corresponds to only one value of \({a_{Si{O_2}}}\) represented on the concentration diagram by an activity isoline. In the presence of carbon, all the high-silicon alloys may be obtained at T ≥ 1973 K, with \({a_{Si{O_2}}}\) > 0.8. At 1873 K, when \({a_{Si{O_2}}}\) > 0.9, only alloys with <25% Si may be obtained. With decrease in \({a_{Si{O_2}}}\) to 0.4, the limiting Si content is 20%. At lower temperatures (≤1823 K), only low-silicon alloys (<15% Si) may be obtained under acidic slag (\({a_{Si{O_2}}}\) > 0.5).

The changes in the composition, structure and dispersion of chromium carbonitride during storage and heating in gas media are investigated. It is found that during annealing in argon and nitrogen at a temperature of 1273 – 1373 K carbonitride becomes carbide Cr3C2 , and during annealing in hydrogen – carbide Cr7C3 . The transformation of carbonitride into carbide Cr3C2 is accompanied by enlargement of the nanopowder that takes place in accordance with the mechanism of solid-state coalescence. Carbonitride interaction with atmospheric gases (oxygen and moisture) occurs in accordance with the adsorption-diffusion mechanism and it is accompanied by a significant increase in oxidation in the first 24 hours. The temperature at the beginning of oxidation in the air depends on the nanoscale and due to the change in particle size from 22 to 53 nm increases from 542 to 568  K. The size dependences for oxidation and the oxidation onset temperature are obtained.

Thermodynamic modeling of high-temperature interactions of microsilica and brown-coal semi-coke was carried out. Calculation of equilibrium structures of Si – O – C and Si – O – C – H systems was defi ned by a “constant” method with the use of the computer modeling program of high-temperature chemical interactions of “PLASMA”. It was established that in both systems the formation process of carbide was dominating. At stoichiometric composition of furnace charge the maximum contents in products of restoration of silicon carbide can be reached at 1700 K, and at 10 % a lack of carbon – 1900 K. The introduction of hydrogen to system doesn’t actually infl uence on the process of carbide formation that is caused by low (less than 0,001 mol) contents in a gas phase at temperatures of carbide formation of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbonic radicals. In Si – O – C system the equilibrium extent of transformation of silicon into carbide doesn’t exceed 0,97, that corresponds to the content of monoxide of silicon in a gas phase of 0,02 mol, owing to what from furnace charge of stoichiometric structure (SiO2 + 3C) it is impossible to receive the single-phase, not containing free carbon, carbide of silicon. It can be avoided using furnace charge with some (~ 10 %) lack of carbon reducer.

Conditions of electrodeposition, the structure and physical-mechanical properties (microhardness, base cohesion, internal stresses, corrosion currents) of nickel-based galvanic composition coatings with nano and micropowders of titanium boride are investigated. It is determined that electrocrystallization of nickel in the presence of boride nanoparticles leads to the formation of coatings with small-sized structural fragments, low porosity and increased physical-mechanical properties. Titanium nanoboride is simultaneously a component of the composition coating and an effective modifier of the nickel matrix. The presence of nanoboride in the electrolyte improves its performance by increasing the allowable upper limit of the cathode current density.

Electrodeposition conditions, structure and physicomechanical properties (microhardness, coupling with a basis, internal tension, wear resistance, corrosion currents) of metalmatrix composite coverings on the basis of nickel with nanopowder (NP) of titanium carbide (dimensional range (0.02 – 0.08 microns)) and its micropowder (MT) (1 – 5 micron) were investigated. It was established that at electrodeposition of nickel from electrolyte – suspension metal nickel at first is besieged on the nanoparticles weighed in electrolyte then nanoparticles are strongly attached to a substrate, easily and evenly grow into a deposit. Unlike micropowder, nanopowder of carbide is not only a filler, and acts as a strong structure-forming agent in the course of electrocrystallization of nickel and provides its mass multigerminal character that leads to formation of coverings with small sizes of structural fragments, characteristic opaque color, almost pore-free with the increased physicomechanical properties. The coverings contained, %: Ni – 97.39; O – 1.79; Ti – 0.65; C – 0.17. Annealing of coverings in vacuum promotes increased their coupling with a basis in 1.3 times, microhardness - in 1.2 times, wear resistance in 1.3 times. Therefore the Ni – NP TiC covering can be recommended for anticorrosive protection and hardening of the details working very hard at average district speeds and low specific loadings

The initial powders in plasma synthesis (chromium, its oxide and chloride, and boron), the micro- and nanopowders of chromium boride and carbonitride produced, and the accompanying pyrolytic boron and carbon are investigated by means of transmission and scanning electron microscopes. In the analysis of the powders and industrial micropowders of chromium boride and carbide, transmission electron microscopy yields complete information regarding the shape and size of the particles and their disperse composition. In the analysis of the nanopowders, transmission electron microscopy permits the visualization of individual particles, determination of their linear dimensions, and confirmation of their near-spherical shape. Scanning electron microscopy provides information regarding the nanoparticles’ tendency to aggregate and permits investigation of the ensemble of nanoparticles, as well as individual nanoparticles, with refinement of their dimensional range. It confirms the geometric shape of the particles and permits the proposal and discussion of mechanisms of nanoparticle formation. The distinguishing feature of the pyrolytic boron and carbon nanoparticles is their ability to form microaggregates (200–400 and 150–200 nm, respectively) consisting of particles in the range 10–40 nm.