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CaC2 is the nominal formula for calcium carbide, and its molecular weight is 64.0992 g/mol. The pure substance is colourless, however depending on the quality, most samples range from black to grayish-white. It has a density of 2.22 g/cc, melts at 2160 °C, and a boiling point (in an inert environment) of 2300 °C, when it decomposes. Its primary industrial application is in the manufacture of acetylene and calcium cyanamide, CaCN2. Calcium carbide is manufactured in an electric-arc furnace at around 2000 °C from a combination of CaCO3 and coke (carbon).
Structure
Research efforts in the hunt for new superconductors and uses of CaC2 in nanoscience sparked structural studies of calcium carbide. Calcium carbide has a body-centered tetragonal lattice structure, a deformed version of the NaCl lattice in which the dumbbells of the two carbon atoms are orientated along the tetragonal c axis, according to early structural studies. Powder neutron diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments further confirmed these findings. The phase diagram was used to deduce the first data on the polymorphism of calcium carbide.
A cubic high-temperature modification with a NaCltype structure a low-temperature modification), and possibly a metastable modification were found, in addition to the tetragonal form that is stable at normal temperature. Calcium ions (like Na ions) occupy the lattice sites, whereas disordered carbon atoms occupy the Cl sites. Other polymorphic changes have also been studied using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Based on a study of the chemical shifts, the solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR data revealed some interesting findings: 1) The carbon atoms in calcium carbide are asymmetric along the axes; and 2) the “acetylide ion” is not similar to an alkyne CC triple bond.
Synthesis of calcium carbide:
The following is a list of industries that produce calcium carbide-
Coke and lime are utilised in the mix.
The temperature range is set at around 2,200 degrees Celsius.
An electric arc furnace is used for the entire process.
This compound is extensively used in the manufacture of calcium cyanamide and acetylene.
Physical properties of calcium carbide-
Uses of calcium carbide-
It’s used to make calcium hydroxide and acetylene, among other things.
It is employed in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) because acetylene, a calcium carbide derivative, can be used as a raw material.
It’s used to eliminate sulphur in iron. Desulphurization is the procedure of eradicating sulphur from any material.
Calcium cyanamide is made using it.
It’s found in lamps like carbide lamps. It was originally employed as the headlights of automobiles.
Like ethylene, it’s used as a ripening agent.
It’s utilised as a deoxidizer, which implies it aids in the removal of oxygen during steel production.
It’s found in both bamboo cannons and big-bang cannons.
Conclusion
Calcium carbide is a very useful chemical compound having sp- hybridised carbon atoms and calcium as its constituent member atom. It serves its application in manufacture of carbide lamps and is in profound use in the steel industry. This article has sufficiently provided the information related to calcium carbide, its uses, its structure and its hybridisation.
