carbide

carbide

carbide any one of a group of compounds that contain carbon and one other element that is either a metal, boron, or silicon. Generally, a carbide is prepared by heating a metal, metal oxide, or metal hydride with carbon or a carbon compound. Calcium carbide, CaC 2 , can be made by heating calcium oxide and coke in an electric furnace; it reacts with water to yield acetylene and is an important source of the gas. Barium carbide reacts similarly. Aluminum carbide reacts with water to yield methane. Some carbides are unaffected by water, e.g., chromium carbide and silicon carbide . Silicon carbide, almost as hard as diamond, is used as an abrasive. Tungsten carbide, also very hard, is used for cutting edges of machine tools. Iron carbides are present in steel, cast iron, and some other iron alloys.

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"carbide." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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carbide

carbide Inorganic compound of carbon with metals or other more electropositive elements. Many transition metals form carbides, in which carbon atoms occupy spaces between adjacent atoms in the metal lattice. Some electropositive metals form ionic carbon compounds; the best known is calcium carbide. Carbides are commonly used as abrasives.

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carbide

car·bide / ˈkärˌbīd/ • n. Chem. a binary compound of carbon with an element of lower or comparable electronegativity. ∎  calcium carbide (CaC2), used to generate acetylene by reaction with water and formerly used in portable lamps: [as adj.] a carbide lamp.

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"carbide." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"carbide." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-carbide.html

"carbide." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-carbide.html

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carbide

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"carbide." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Making carbide form tools with EDM. (electrical discharge machining)
Magazine article from: Modern Machine Shop; 1/1/1989
Calcium carbide output increases rapidly.(MARKET REPORT:...
Magazine article from: China Chemical Reporter; 10/6/2006
Carbide vs. Diamond Tooling.(Point/Counterpoint)
Magazine article from: Wood Digest; 12/1/2007

Facts and information from other sites

carbide images
carbide. (Image by Rasbak, GDFL)