Tantalum carbide

Tantalum carbide
Names
	IUPAC name Tantalum carbide
	Other names Tantalum(IV) carbide
Identifiers
CAS Number	(TaC): 12070-06-3 ; (TaC0.5): 12070-07-4 ;
3D model (JSmol)	(TaC): Interactive image; (TaC0.5): Interactive image;
ChemSpider	(TaC): 22369341;
ECHA InfoCard	100.031.914
EC Number	(TaC): 235-118-3; (TaC0.5): 235-119-9;
PubChem CID	(TaC): 159432; (TaC0.5): 166602;
UNII	(TaC): 4ZUXHGUFHH ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	(TaC): DTXSID40893837 ;
	InChI (TaC): InChI=1S/C.Ta/q-1;+1 Key: DUMHRFXBHXIRTD-UHFFFAOYSA-N; (TaC0.5): InChI=1S/C.2Ta Key: VDBAWDHDCVOEAA-UHFFFAOYSA-N;
	SMILES (TaC): [Ta+]#[C-]; (TaC0.5): [C].[Ta].[Ta];
Properties
Chemical formula	TaC
Molar mass	192.96 g/mol
Appearance	Brown-gray powder
Odor	Odorless
Density	14.3–14.65 g/cm3 (TaC); 15.1 g/cm3 (TaC0.5)
Melting point	3,768 °C (6,814 °F; 4,041 K) ; (TaC); 3,327 °C (6,021 °F; 3,600 K); (TaC0.5)
Boiling point	4,780–5,470 °C (8,640–9,880 °F; 5,050–5,740 K) ; (TaC)
Solubility in water	Insoluble
Solubility	Soluble in HF-HNO3 mixture
Thermal conductivity	21 W/(m·K)
Thermochemistry
Heat capacity (C)	36.71 J/(mol·K)
Std molar; entropy (S⦵298)	42.29 J/(mol·K)
Std enthalpy of; formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−144.1 kJ/mol
Related compounds
Related refractory ceramic materials	Zirconium nitride; Vanadium carbide; Niobium carbide; Zirconium carbide;
Related compounds	Hafnium carbide
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

Tantalum carbides (TaC) form a family of binary chemical compounds of tantalum and carbon with the empirical formula TaC_x, where x usually varies between 0.4 and 1. They are extremely hard, brittle, refractory ceramic materials with metallic electrical conductivity. They appear as brown-gray powders, which are usually processed by sintering.

Being important cermet materials, tantalum carbides are commercially used in tool bits for cutting applications and are sometimes added to tungsten carbide alloys.

The melting points of tantalum carbides was previously estimated to be about 3,880 °C (4,150 K; 7,020 °F) depending on the purity and measurement conditions; this value is among the highest for binary compounds. And only tantalum hafnium carbide was estimated to have a higher melting point of 3,942 °C (4,215 K; 7,128 °F). However new tests have conclusively proven that TaC actually has a melting point of 3,768 °C and both tantalum hafnium carbide and hafnium carbide have higher melting points.