REVIEW AND BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE 

 METALLIC CARBIDES. 



ALUMINUM AND CARBON. 



Moissan has prepared a carbide of aluminum (i) from kaolin and 

 carbon, and (2) from metallic aluminum and carbon. The method 

 employed was to put the Al in a carbon boat and heat for five to six 

 minutes in the electric furnace. Hydrogen was passed through the car- 

 bon tube of the furnace both during heating and while cooling. A current 

 of 300 amperes and 65 volts was used. From this process results a mix- 

 ture of Al and AI4C3. The AI4C3 consists of yellow, transparent crystals; 

 sp. gr. 2.36 ; decomposed at red heat by CI or Br, leaving a residue of 

 amorphous carbon. Water decomposes it in the cold, thus : — 

 C3 AI4+ 1 2 B.,0=s C H4-(-2 Al2(0 H)6. 



LITERATURE. 



Moissan. Preparation d'un carbure d'aluminium cristallise. C. R. (1894) v. 119, p. 16, 



or Bull. See. Chim. [3] 11, p. loio, or Abs. J. Chem. Soc. (1894) 66, pt. 2, p. 450, 



Chem. Centrbl. (1894) 65, pt. 2, p. 268. See also 

 Moissan. Reduction de I'alumine par le charbon. C. R. (1894) 119, p. 935, or 



Abs. J. Chem. Soc. (1895) 68, pt. 2, p. 226. 

 Deville. Ann. de Chim. [3] 45, p. 15. 

 Mallet. Ueber Stickstoffaluminium and die Einwirkung von Aluminum auf Kohlen- 



stoffkalium bei hoher Temperatur. Ann. Chem. 186, p. 155. 



ALUMINUM, BORON, AND CARBON. 



A very refractory substance, to which the formula Al3C2B4g has been 



given, is interesting because of its great hardness, between corundum 



and diamond. 



LITERATURE. 



Hampe. Ueber das Bor. Ann. Chem. (1876) 183, p. 75. See also 

 WoHLER AND St. C. Deville. Ann. Chem. loi, ps. 113 and 347. 



BARIUM AND CARBON. 

 The carbide of barium may be made in the electric furnace in the same 

 way as calcium carbide (q. v.). It also results by heating together BaCOg, 

 Mg and C according to this reaction : — 



BaC03+3Mg+C=BaCH-3MgO. 



