Solid state metathesis: synthesis of metal carbides from metal oxides

It has been shown that metal carbides can be prepared using solid state metathesis (SSM) reactions utilising metal halides and calcium carbide. The possible use of transition metal oxides as starting raw materials for preparing metal carbides by SSM is reported for the first time. Bulk reactions of transition metal oxides (V2O3, NaVO3, Nb2O5, LiNbO3, Ta2O5, LiTaO3, MoO3, Li2MoO4 and Li2WO4) with calcium and strontium carbides at 1000 C for 12 h produce a range of transition metal carbides (V8C7, NbC, TaC, Mo2C and WC) in good yields (about 90%). The carbides were characterised by XRD, SEM, EDAX, electron probe, FTIR, microelemental analysis, TEM and electron diffraction. 19 refs.