Tungsten carbide

Tungsten carbide

Names
IUPAC name Tungsten carbide
Other names Tungsten(IV) carbide Tungsten tetracarbide
Identifiers
CAS Number	12070-12-1 Y
3D model (Jmol)	(W+≡C−): Interactive image
ECHA InfoCard	100.031.918
EC Number	235-123-0
PubChem	2724274 (W+≡C−)
InChI (W+≡C−): InChI=1S/C.W/q-1;+1 N Key: UONOETXJSWQNOL-UHFFFAOYSA-N N
SMILES (W+≡C−): [C-]#[W+]
Properties
Chemical formula	CW
Molar mass	195.85 g·mol−1
Appearance	Grey-black lustrous solid
Density	15.6 g/cm3
Melting point	2,785–2,830 °C (5,045–5,126 °F; 3,058–3,103 K)
Boiling point	6,000 °C (10,830 °F; 6,270 K) at 760 mmHg
Solubility in water	Insoluble
Solubility	Soluble in HNO 3, HF
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	1·10−5 cm3/mol
Thermal conductivity	110 W/(m·K)
Structure
Crystal structure	Hexagonal, hP2
Space group	P6m2, No. 187
Point group	6m2
Lattice constant	a = 2.906 Å, c = 2.837 Å α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 120°
Molecular shape	Trigonal prismatic (center at C)
Thermochemistry
Specific heat capacity (C)	39.8 J/(mol·K)
Std molar entropy (So298)	32.1 J/mol·K
Related compounds
Other anions	Tungsten boride Tungsten nitride
Other cations	Molybdenum carbide Titanium carbide Silicon carbide
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N  (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

Tungsten carbide (chemical formula: WC) is a chemical compound (specifically, a carbide) containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms. In its most basic form, tungsten carbide is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into shapes for use in industrial machinery, cutting tools, abrasives, armor-piercing rounds, other tools and instruments, and jewelry.

Tungsten carbide is approximately two times stiffer than steel, with a Young's modulus of approximately 530–700 GPa (77,000 to 102,000 ksi), and is double the density of steel—nearly midway between that of lead and gold. It is comparable with corundum (α-Al
2O
3) in hardness and can only be polished and finished with abrasives of superior hardness such as cubic boron nitride and diamond powder, wheels, and compounds.

Historically referred to as Wolfram, Wolf Rahm, wolframite ore discovered by Peter Woulfe was then later carburized and cemented with a binder creating a composite now called "cemented tungsten carbide". Tungsten is Swedish for "heavy stone".

Colloquially among workers in various industries (such as machining and carpentry), tungsten carbide is often simply called carbide, despite the inaccuracy of the usage. Among the lay public, the growing popularity of tungsten carbide rings has also led to consumers calling the material tungsten.