Barium carbide preparation

Hexachloroethane is usually produced commercially by the chlorination of tetrachloroethylene in the presence of ferric chloride at 100-140 C. It may also be obtained as a co-product in the production of tetrachloroethylene by pyrolysis of carbon tetrachloride at 800-900 C or by passing a mixture of ethylene and chlorine over charcoal at 300-350 C. Small amounts of high purity hexachloroethane may be prepared by the action of chlorine on barium carbide (Dacre et al. 1979 Gordon et al. 1991 IARC 1979 Santodonato et al. 1985). 

Nitrogen, which forms about four-fifths of the air, is produced by the methods we have already indicated, ospecially tho Linde-Hampson process, and is used in tho synthetic preparation of ammonia, apd of cyanamide and cyanides, from calcium and barium carbides respectively. 

Silicon carbide, or carborundum, a hard, refractory, resistive material, was employed in zinc smelting furnaces, as a heating element in electric furnaces, and as an abrasive in grinding, polishing and lapping of metals. Some 850 tons of ferrosilicon were produced in 1907-08. From barium carbide, produced in 1904 by the Societa Elettrochimica di Pont Saint Martin, all barium salts could be prepared. 

The flammability and explosive hazard of ferrosilicon powder is increased substantially during grinding in a vibratory mill [1], Explosion hazards from air-hydrogen,—acetylene, or—propane mixtures formed during preparation of ferrosilicon containing alkaline earth additives are attributed to contact of barium or magnesium carbide or silicide additive with atmospheric moisture [2],... 

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