What is carbide made of

I.Definition of carbide:

Carbides refer to binary compounds formed by carbon and elements with smaller or similar electronegativity (except hydrogen), just like a small group of carbon and other elements. It can combine with many elements to form different types of carbides, such as metal elements, such as iron, manganese, and chromium. When they combine with carbon, they will produce various wonderful reactions and form carbides of various properties. Carbides have a high melting point, and most carbides are obtained by the reaction of carbon and metal at high temperatures.

According to the properties of the elements, they are divided into metal carbides and non-metal carbides. Calcium carbide (CaC₂, commonly known as calcium carbide), chromium carbide (Cr₄C₃), tantalum carbide (TaC), vanadium carbide (VC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), tungsten carbide (WC), etc. are all metal carbides.

Boron carbide (B₄C), silicon carbide (SiC), etc. are non-metal carbides.

II. Common carbide types:

1. Ionic carbides:

Ionic carbides are generally composed of metal elements with low electronegativity and carbon elements, and are easily hydrolyzed. There are many types of carbides. According to the different metal elements, they can be divided into alkali metal carbides and alkaline earth metal carbides. According to the different types of carbon bonds, they can be divided into three categories: acetylates, containing carbon dumbbell pairs, for example, CaC₂, Li₂C₂, ZnC₂.

2.Covalent carbides In covalent carbides, the atoms are connected by covalent bonds. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a typical covalent carbide. It has very high hardness, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and good chemical stability. It plays an important role in some places where high hardness and high wear-resistant materials are required, such as making sandpaper and cutting tools.

3. Metallic carbides This is a carbide formed by carbon and metal, such as titanium carbide (TiC) and tungsten carbide (WC). It has high hardness, high melting point and good chemical stability, and is not easy to evaporate and oxidize at high temperatures. Tungsten carbide is mainly used to make high-hardness, high-strength and wear-resistant metal ceramic materials, such as cutting tools, drills, milling cutters, turning tools, etc. In addition, tungsten carbide is also used to make structural materials for kilns, jet engines, gas turbines, carbide nozzles, stamping die, wear-resistant parts, etc. ‌

III. Factors affecting carbide types What determines which type of carbide will be formed? In fact, the electronegativity of the element plays a big role. If the electronegativity of the two elements is quite different, it is easier to form ionic carbides; if the electronegativity is not much different, covalent or metallic carbides may be formed. And the reaction conditions are also very important. Temperature and pressure will affect the type of carbide.

IV. Application of carbides in life Carbides are everywhere in our lives. In addition to the industrial applications mentioned above, it also appears in the jewelry industry. For example, titanium carbide (TiC), it can be made into a golden coating to make the jewelry look more gorgeous. And in automobile manufacturing, some special carbides can be used to improve the performance of the engine and make the car run faster and more stable. Carbides also play a role in the electronic products we use in our daily lives. They may be in circuit boards or some tiny parts, silently playing their role.