Extractive Metallurgy Division - Free Energy of Formation of Tungsten Carbide, WC

The standard free energy of formation of WC was obtained from determination of the equilibrium WC + CO2 = W + 2CO between 1215° and 1266°K. Its uallie is -8340 * 300 cal Per mole over the above range of temperature. AS a part of a program devoted to measuring the stabilities of the carbides, a study was made of the free energy of formation of tungsten carbide, WC. The homogeneity range of this compound is very small,' and it is generally accepted and is dealt with here as a stoichiometric compound. The heat of formation, ?H°f, of WC has been accurately measured by Huff, Squitieri, and snyder.2 The only attempt, however, to measure the free energy of formation of this compound was made by Schenck, Kurzen, and wesselkock3 who brought tungsten carbides into equilibrium with H2 and CH4. Unfortunately their results are not sufficiently accurate nor consistent enough to permit the calculation of free energies. METHOD Heating mixtures of tungsten and carbon powders in hydrogen for 4 days at 1050°C led to formation of some WC without any trace of W2C. It was deduced, therefore, that at least below this temperature W2C will not be formed during experiments with mixtures of tungsten and WC. This was subsequently shown to be correct. The method chosen was the measurement of the equilibrium of the reaction