Thorium-carbon system

Technical Report ·

OSTI ID:5713558

Wilhelm, H A; Chiotti, P

A study of the thorium-carbon system has been made and a tentative constitutional diagram constructed from metallographic, x-ray, and melting point data. Thorium forms two carbides; ThC (4.92% carbon) and ThC/sub 2/ (9.38% carbon). The monocarbide has a sodium chloride type structure with a/sub 0/ = 5.325 A and the dicarbide has a pseudo tetragonal lattice. The monocarbide melts at 2625 +- 25/sup 0/C (4755/sup 0/F) and the dicarbide at 2655 +- 25/sup 0/C (4855/sup 0/F). Thorium dissolves up to approximately 0.75% carbon at 1975/sup 0/C (3585/sup 0/F) and holds less than 0.25% carbon in solid solution at room temperature. The monocarbide will dissolve up to 85% thorium at 1975/sup 0/C and holds approximately 23% thorium in solid solution at room temperature. At elevated temperatures the monocarbide and dicarbide apparently form a complete series of solid solutions while at room temperature they show no mutual solid solubility. The dicarbide forms a eutectic with graphite containing approximately 12.6% carbon and melts at 2500 +- 35/sup 0/C (4530/sup 0/F).

• Research Organization: Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology, Ames (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5713558
• Report Number(s): AECD-2718
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
CARBIDES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
EUTECTICS
MELTING POINTS
METALS
NONMETALS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SOLUBILITY
SOLVENT PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
THORIUM
THORIUM CARBIDES
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE