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Title: Thorium-carbon system

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5713558

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
Resource Relation:
Other Information: In NSA; 3: 2142(1949)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English