Hydrolysis of aluminum carbide – equation and nature of the reaction
Interaction of aluminum carbide with water
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Al₄C₃ is a binary compound of aluminum and carbon which is broken down quite easily by water (hydrolyzes) or by diluted solutions of acids.
Aluminum carbide is a quite hard substance and is often used as an abrasive material.
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The compound is an odorless powder of a yellow-brown color. It is a heat-resistant substance with a melting point of over 2100 °С.
Obtaining aluminum carbide
Direct interaction of carbon with aluminum in arc furnaces:
4Al + 3C → Al₄C₃
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Interaction of aluminum oxide with carbon at a temperature of 1800 °С:
2Al₂O₃ + 9C → Al₄C₃ + 6СО↑
Hydrolysis is a reaction that occurs between a substance and water, as a result the substance and water break down, and new compounds form. Al₄C₃ is a salt-like carbide, which is essentially the product of the displacement of the hydrogen atom in methane by metal atoms. So in its hydrolysis, reverse displacement easily occurs, and methane forms.
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Equation of the aluminum carbide hydrolysis:
Al₄C₃ + 12H₂O → 4Al(OH)₃ ↓+ 3CH₄ ↑
The hydrolysis of aluminum carbide is an irreversible reaction.
When this reaction takes place, methane and aluminum hydroxide are released. This reaction is a simple method of obtaining methane in the laboratory. Click here to find easy experiments of obtaining different gases at home.