Hi sci.materials,
From my searching on the topic of carbides on google, I have found that most metals will form a carbide. There are peculiar ommisions though. I have not found information on, and cannot determine if these could exist:
gold carbide rhendium carbide gallium carbide
Are there metals that will never form a carbide even in highly pressurized or heated enviroments?
The word "never" should be avoided in this field:
-Au combines with C into a very unstable carbide. The trick is to start with the good precursor,
-Berzelius once wrote that Pt could not form a synthetic carbide,
-Goldschmidt wrote that TaC is impossible as a natural compound,
-the characterization of some metal/graphite intercalation compounds is sometimes very difficult,
-the field is strongly influenced by possible technological outlooks, and unpromising topics are sometimes left aside,
-...
You should explore the footnotes of classical treatises, the Journal of Less-common Metals, Moissan's papers, etc., rather that the data found on the web, which are highly selective in what concerns "footnotes".
The story of Moissan's failures and successes is enlightening: the finding of the good crucible material and the craftsman able to carve it were decisive.
J.J.
Thanks J.J. !
I did what you said, good advice. I think I understand the answer now. I went to OU's library and picked up a translated russian treasie on the subject of carbides.
The gold, sliver, and copper carbides cannot be made directly from only carbon and the intended metal. A precursor is needed for it to form. They are very unstable (not typical of a carbide).
Gallium carbide is not possible! (acording to a 30 year old text), but Galium alloyed (probably the wrong term in this case) with annother metal could form a carbide.
I should have taken my notebook.
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