Aluminum carbide

Crystal structure
	__ Al 3+ __ C 4−
General
Surname	Aluminum carbide
Ratio formula	Al 4 C 3
Brief description	colorless crystals
External identifiers / databases
EC number	215-076-2
ECHA InfoCard	100.013.706
PubChem	16685054
Wikidata	Q425180
properties
Molar mass	143.96 g mol −1
Physical state	firmly
density	2.36 g cm −3
Melting point	2100 ° C
boiling point	Decomposition> 2200 ° C
solubility	Violent decomposition in water
safety instructions
H and P phrases	H: 228-261-315-319-335
	P: 231 + 232-261-305 + 351 + 338-422
Thermodynamic properties
ΔH f 0	−209 kJ mol −1
	As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions .

Aluminum carbide is an inorganic chemical compound from the group of carbides ; here it is one of the methanides (C ⁴⁻ ), as it is formally derived from methane . It consists of the elements aluminum and carbon .

synthesis

The production of aluminum carbide takes place in an electric furnace in a hydrogen atmosphere at 2000 ° C from the elements. The reaction product is yellowish to orange in color due to contamination with remaining aluminum. In addition, it can be produced from the elements in the presence of turpentine at 1100 ° C.

{\ displaystyle \ mathrm {4 \ Al + 3 \ C \ longrightarrow Al_ {4} C_ {3}}}

properties

It forms colorless to light yellow, hexagonal crystals (a = 3.325, c = 24.94 Å ) and melts at a temperature of 2100 ° C. Above 2200 ° C it is no longer stable and decomposes.

Due to its character as a salt-like carbide , aluminum carbide reacts with acids to form methane and aluminum salt solutions .

{\ displaystyle \ mathrm {Al_ {4} C_ {3} +12 \, HCl \ rightarrow 4 \ Al ^ {3 +} + 12 \, Cl ^ {-} + 3 \, CH_ {4}}}

Besides beryllium carbide, aluminum carbide is the only carbide that reacts with water to form methane.

{\ displaystyle \ mathrm {Al_ {4} C_ {3} +12 \, H_ {2} O \ rightarrow 4 \ Al (OH) _ {3} +3 \, CH_ {4}}}

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Entry on aluminum carbide. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on March 6, 2014.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Entry on aluminum carbide in the GESTIS material database of the IFA , accessed on February 1, 2016(JavaScript required) .
↑ PAETEC formula collection 2003 edition, page 116.
↑ ^a ^b Georg Brauer (Ed.), With the collaboration of Marianne Baudler u a .: Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry. 3rd, revised edition. Volume II, Ferdinand Enke, Stuttgart 1978, ISBN 3-432-87813-3 , p. 841.

Web links

Entry in the Omikron Chemistry Lexicon ( Memento from May 7, 2012 in the Internet Archive )

[roempp-1] Entry on aluminum carbide. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on March 6, 2014.

[GESTIS-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Entry on aluminum carbide in the GESTIS material database of the IFA , accessed on February 1, 2016(JavaScript required) .

[3] PAETEC formula collection 2003 edition, page 116.

[brauer-4] Georg Brauer (Ed.), With the collaboration of Marianne Baudler u a .: Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry. 3rd, revised edition. Volume II, Ferdinand Enke, Stuttgart 1978, ISBN 3-432-87813-3 , p. 841.