Aluminum carbide is a chemical compound that is made from aluminium. It is a yellow powder or crystals that can be used to make other chemicals.
It is widely used in industry. In addition to its light weight, it is also highly corrosion-resistant and has high thermal conductivity.
The chemical formula of aluminium carbide is A and the molecular structure of the compound consists of two asymmetric molecules, Al3C2 and Al2C4. It has the appearance of pale yellow to brown crystals that are stable up to 1400 degC.
When the molecule of aluminum carbide is hydrolyzed, a reaction occurs that produces methane and hydrogen gas in water. This is a simple and cheap way to obtain methane from water.
Secondary Aluminium Dross
The main chemical composition of dross can be determined by observing the amount of methane and calcite. The calcite content is a good indicator of the amount of metallic aluminum in dross (Das et al., 2007; Lucheva et al., 2003; Ozerkan et al., 2014; Sultana et al., 2013).
It can be treated to produce zeolites and ion exchangers by undergoing chemical reactions. It can also be used to produce cement clinkers and concrete blocks for construction purposes.
Besides these useful products, a significant amount of aluminum hydride is present in dross that can be exploited for the production of hydrogen. This can be produced by reacting aluminium dross with aqueous solutions of alkali metals such as lithium and sodium, or with sulfuric acid.