Argon fluidization, carbide preparation

Carbides Prepared from Argon Fluidization of Metal... 

In initial experiments to prepare early transition metal carbides with MAFBS, argon gas fluidized mixtures of metal and carbon black powders. The extent of reaction in these experiments was limited by the number of high-temperature collisions between the two types of powders. Nonetheless, the results of these experiments are instructive in the development of this preparation technique. The catalytic activity of carbides prepared with this method was not assessed. 

In MAFBS experiments to produce molybdenum carbide, molybdenum and carbon black powders were mixed in a 2 1 molar ratio. Five grams of this mixture were added to the quartz tube and fluidized with argon. Visible heating effects in these experiments were similar to those in experiments to prepare chromium carbide. 

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