What kind of crystal is aluminum carbide?

 Overview of Aluminum Carbide Al4C3 Powder

Aluminum carbide is an atomic crystal. Yellow or green-gray crystal block or powder, with hygroscopicity. Decomposes at high temperature and hydrolyzes into methane and aluminum hydroxide in cold water. Used in metallurgy and catalysts. It is produced by the reaction of alumina and coke.

Aluminum carbide (Al4C3) is an ionic compound with a rhombohedral structure. It has high hardness, shear strength and melting point, making it an ideal second-phase strengthening material for aluminum-based materials. Aluminum carbide golden yellow hexagonal small flake crystals. The relative density is 2.36, stable at 1400°C, and decomposed above 2200°C. It decomposes into methane when it meets water. It is stored in a dry and cool place. It is insoluble in acetone and decomposes when it meets dilute acid. It is made by co-heating pure aluminum powder and pure carbon. At present, the preparation methods of Al4C3 mainly include metal direct carbonization method, carbothermic reduction method, sol-gel method Chemicalbook, microwave synthesis method and high-energy mechanical ball milling synthesis method. Among them, the direct metal carbonization method and the carbothermic reduction method are the first synthetic methods adopted, and some of the technologies have been applied to industrial production. However, the disadvantages of these two methods are that the required synthesis temperature is high, the reaction time is long, and the obtained powder has a large particle size. In the known high-energy ball milling synthesis method, the focus is mainly on the in-situ synthesis of a small amount of Al4C3 to enhance the aluminum-based material, not the high-purity synthesis of Al4C3. At the same time, high-energy ball mills themselves have the disadvantages of long milling time, high energy consumption, and uneven powder particles.

Aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder has an unusual crystal structure, consisting of alternating layers of Al2C and Al2C2. Each aluminum atom matches 4 carbon atoms to form a tetrahedral arrangement. Carbon atoms exist in two different binding environments. One is a deformed octahedron with 6 Al atoms at 217 pm. The other is a twisted triangular double cone structure, with 4 Al atoms at 190-194 pm and a fifth Al atom at 221 pm.

A small amount of aluminum carbide is a common impurity in industrial calcium carbide. In the electrolytic manufacture of aluminum, aluminum carbide is the corrosion product of graphite electrodes.

In metal matrix composite materials based on non-metal carbide (silicon carbide, boron carbide, etc.) or carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix, aluminum carbide is usually formed as a poor product. For carbon fiber, it will react with the aluminum matrix at a temperature higher than 500°C; for example, by coating the fiber with calcium carbonate, better fiber wettability and chemical reaction inhibition can be obtained. Large quantities of aluminum carbide are usually immediately available. Carbide is a compound in which an anion is one or more carbon atoms. Although not all, most metals form carbides: for example, indium and gallium do not. Like diamond (a pure carbon substance), carbides tend to be very hard, fire-resistant, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and heat-resistant, so they are very suitable as coatings for drill bits and other tools. They usually combine toughness with other valuable properties, such as electrical conductivity, low thermal expansion, and wear resistance.

Aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder is produced by the direct reaction of aluminum and carbon in an electric arc furnace.

In the silicon carbide-reinforced aluminum-based composite material, silicon carbide chemically reacts with molten aluminum to form a layer of aluminum carbide on the silicon carbide particles, which reduces the strength of the material, but increases the wettability of the silicon carbide particles. This tendency can be reduced by coating silicon carbide particles with a suitable oxide or nitride, pre-oxidizing the particles to form a silicon dioxide coating, or using a sacrificial metal layer.

Aluminum-aluminum carbide composite materials can be made by mechanical alloying and mixing aluminum powder and graphite particles.

Aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder application

Aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder is used in metallurgy, catalyst and methane production. In addition, typical applications of aluminum carbide include:

1. The finely dispersed aluminum carbide particles in the aluminum matrix can reduce the creep tendency of the material, especially when used in conjunction with silicon carbide particles.

2. Aluminum-aluminum carbide composite materials can be made by mechanical alloying, grinding aluminum powder and graphite particles together.

3. Aluminum carbide can be used as an abrasive for high-speed cutting tools, and its hardness is almost the same as that of topaz.

4. Aluminum carbide is also used in fireworks, for example, to achieve the effect of fireflies.

Aluminum carbide is often used as an additive to enhance the strength of three-component aluminum-based materials (Al-Si-AlC, Al-AlTi-AlC). In addition, AlC is an important compound in the technical field of metal aluminum industry. It is used in the metallurgical industry to reduce metal oxides, in the chemical industry as a catalyst for chemical reactions, and in the ceramic industry for the production of high-temperature, cutting and molds. Ceramic material. As an ionic compound Chemicalbook, in the crystal lattice structure of AlC, carbon atoms exist as a single C. C has a strong alkalinity. During hydrolysis, methane is produced through C+4H→CH, so AlC is also used as a methane generator and desiccant. At the same time, AlC rhombic hexahedron is a structure in which AlC and AlC lamellae are alternately stacked. It is this unique structure that makes one-dimensional AlC nanowires a kind of cold electron emitter with great potential.

Aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder price

The price of aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder will vary randomly with factors such as production cost, transportation cost, international situation, and market supply and demand of aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder. Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. aims to help various industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full set of customized services. If you are looking for aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest information.

Aluminum carbide Al4C3 powder supplier

As a global supplier of aluminum carbide Al4C3, Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. has extensive experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced engineering materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (including boron carbide, titanium cemented carbide, titanium carbide, etc.), high-purity targets, functional ceramics and structural devices, and provides OEM services.

Technical Parameter of Aluminum Carbide Al4C3 Powder
Code	Chemical Composition
	Content		≤
	Al	C	Si	P	S	Fe	Mg
Al4C3	79-81	19-21	0.2	0.03	0.03	0.2	0.5
Particle Size	-60-325 mesh or as customers' requirment