# Aluminium carbide

Aluminium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Al$_4$C$_3$. It is a carbide of aluminium. It has the appearance of pale yellow to brown crystals. It is stable up to 1400 °C. It decomposes in water with the production of methane.

## Structure

Aluminium carbide has an unusual crystal structure that consists of alternating layers of Al$_2$C and Al$_2$C$_2$. Each aluminium atom is coordinated to 4 carbon atoms to give a tetrahedral arrangement. Carbon atoms exist in 2 different binding environments; one is a deformed octahedron of 6 Al atoms at a distance of 217 pm. The other is a distorted trigonal bipyramidal structure of 4 Al atoms at 190–194 pm and a fifth Al atom at 221 pm. Other carbides (IUPAC nomenclature: methides) also exhibit complex structures.

### Reactions

Aluminium carbide hydrolyses with evolution of methane. The reaction proceeds at room temperature but is rapidly accelerated by heating.
    Al$_4$C$_3$ + 12 H$_2$O → 4 Al(OH)$_3$ + 3 CH$_4$
Similar reactions occur with other protic reagents:
    Al$_4$C$_3$ + 12 HCl → 4 AlCl$_3$ + 3 CH$_4$
Reactive hot isostatic pressing (hipping) at ≈40 MPa of the appropriate mixtures of Ti, Al$_4$C$_3$ graphite, for 15 hours at 1300 °C yields predominantly single-phase samples of Ti$_2$AlC$_{0.5}$N$_{0.5}$, 30 hours at 1300 °C yields predominantly single-phase samples of Ti$_2$AlC (Titanium aluminium carbide).

## Preparation

Aluminium carbide is prepared by direct reaction of aluminium and carbon in an electric arc furnace.
    4 Al + 3 C → Al$_4$C$_3$
An alternative reaction begins with alumina, but it is less favorable because of generation of carbon monoxide.
    2 Al$_2$O$_3$ + 9 C → Al$_4$C$_3$ + 6 CO
Silicon carbide also reacts with aluminium to yield Al$_4$C$_3$. This conversion limits the mechanical applications of SiC, because Al$_4$C$_3$ is more brittle than SiC.
    4 Al + 3 SiC → Al$_4$C$_3$ + 3 Si
In aluminium-matrix composites reinforced with silicon carbide, the chemical reactions between silicon carbide and molten aluminium generate a layer of aluminium carbide on the silicon carbide particles, which decreases the strength of the material, although it increases the wettability of the SiC particles. This tendency can be decreased by coating the silicon carbide particles with a suitable oxide or nitride, preoxidation of the particles to form a silica coating, or using a layer of sacrificial metal.
An aluminium-aluminium carbide composite material can be made by mechanical alloying, by mixing aluminium powder with graphite particles.

## Occurrence

Small amounts of aluminium carbide are a common impurity of technical calcium carbide. In electrolytic manufacturing of aluminium, aluminium carbide forms as a corrosion product of the graphite electrodes.
In metal matrix composites based on aluminium matrix reinforced with non-metal carbides (silicon carbide, boron carbide, etc.) or carbon fibres, aluminium carbide often forms as an unwanted product. In case of carbon fibre, it reacts with the aluminium matrix at temperatures above 500 °C; better wetting of the fibre and inhibition of chemical reaction can be achieved by coating it with e.g. titanium boride.

## Applications

Aluminium carbide particles finely dispersed in aluminium matrix lower the tendency of the material to creep, especially in combination with silicon carbide particles.
Aluminium carbide can be used as an abrasive in high-speed cutting tools. It has approximately the same hardness as topaz.