## 4 Conclusions  
Nanostructured WMo and WmoC phases were successfully synthesized by MA with a crystal size of 40.8 nm after 150 h with the nominal composition W\({}_{1.5}\)Mo\({}_{6}\)C\({}_{2.5}\) wt.%. WMoC was a bcc crystalline structure with a lattice parameter (_a_) of 0.3148 nm. The WMo crystalline structure was bcc with a lattice parameter (_a_) of 0.315 nm. This system was a nanostructured solid solution of WMo and WMoC phases. At the first stage of milling, the W atoms substituted the Mo atoms, producing the MoW alloys with a bcc crystalline structure and a lattice parameter size closer to that of Mo, and then during the last stage of milling, the C atoms were introduced to the interstitial position of the bimetallic MoW alloy matrix without distorting the lattice. According to the Miedema model, in the MoW system, the formation of the MoW phase during the MA was associated with using a non-equilibrium synthesis technique that can provide extra energy. Further research is required to understand the transformation from MoW to MoWC ternary system by Miedema model calculations. The Vickers hardness of the material increased as the nanostructured metallic carbide in the solid solution was formed by increasing the milling time. This mechanical mixing showed a high microhardness value compared with other monometallic carbide materials. The microstructure, hardness, and desulfurization properties of the MoWC phase were totally dependent on the particle size and grinding time. The samples synthesized at 125 and 150 h of milling showed a reduction of sulfur molecules at 200 \({}^{\circ}\)C. However, these samples did not show hydrogenation or the production of lighter chains of compounds caused by a polymerization process, maybe because the emulsion required a higher temperature for optimal activation. There was an increase in chemical activity in desulfurization of about 15.6% caused by an increase in Fe in the sample, possibly because it needs a ferromagnetic material presence. The chemical activity of a catalyst depends on its electric mobility; in this paper, the catalyst was a diamagnetic carbide, which can show repulsion caused by the ferromagnetic metals (like Fe), thus forming an electric current, and then, the presence of Fe activates the chemical activity of this material. Even though the chemical activity of the samples did not present high percentages of desulfurization or hydrogenation, this experiment served to show the importance of adding chemical activators to the carbide samples in the aqua-thermolysis process.  
Figure 10: Infrared (IR) spectrum of extra-heavy crude oil during aqua-thermolysis at 200 \({}^{\circ}\)C, (**a**) without the catalyst, and with catalysts milled at (**b**) 125 h and (**c**) 150 h.  
These chemical activators must have a ferromagnetic behavior, or have an energy out of equilibrium, high enough to guarantee high rates of hydrogenation and desulfurization as observed in the reference; catalyst leaching and reusability for the removal of oil should be the subject of future studies.  
Conceptualization, M.M.R. and L.G.D.B.A.; methodology, J.N.R.O. and L.G.D.B.A.; HRTEM visualization, V.G.F.; investigation, J.N.R.O.; XRD, IR, Vickers analysis, L.G.D.B.A. and M.M.R.; writing--review and editing, R.M.D. and L.G.R.; thermodynamic analysis, J.N.R.O. and J.G.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by projects TECNM-8207.20-PD and IPN-2020.  
The authors thank CONACyT for its distinction and encouragement through the national researcher program S.N.I. J.N.R.O. and J.G.M. thank TESI for the financial support and SEP-PRODEP for the research work TECNM-CA-TESI Materiales Nanoestruturados.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.