Nanostructured metal carbides are of particular interest because of their potential as high surface area, low cost catalysts. By taking advantage of a salt flux synthesis method, multiple carbide compounds have been synthesized at low temperatures providing a pathway to make them nano-size materials. To better understand the reaction mechanism, tantalum carbide synthesis was monitored by quenching samples at 100oC intervals and analyzed by multiple spectroscopic methods. The reaction was determined to occur through the formation of metal halide intermediates, which were repeatedly viewed with x-ray diffraction (XRD) and further supported by IR, Raman, and NMR spectroscopy.  Control experiments were also employed to further verify this mechanism of formation by using different salt compositions, and solid-state metathesis reaction. The reaction mechanism was also confirmed by applying these techniques to other metal carbides and observing similar intermediates.

Formation mechanism of nanostructured metal carbides via salt flux synthesis

247th National Meeting (2014)

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