Calcium Carbide (CaC₂): A Versatile Industrial Compound
Calcium carbide is an inorganic compound widely used in various industrial applications, most notably for producing acetylene gas and in steelmaking. It is a colorless or grayish-white solid with a crystalline appearance, but commercial samples are often black or brown due to impurities.
What is Calcium Carbide?
Chemical formula: CaC₂
Appearance: Gray to black solid with a strong garlic-like odor (due to impurities like phosphine)
Structure: Consists of calcium ions (Ca²⁺) and carbide anions (C₂²⁻), where the C₂ unit is a triple-bonded carbon pair
Uses of Calcium Carbide
Acetylene Production:
Used in welding and metal cutting
A precursor for various organic chemicals such as PVC and synthetic rubbers
Steel Industry:
Acts as a desulfurizing agent in steelmaking by removing sulfur from molten iron
Carbide Lamps:
Used in mining and caving before electric lamps, producing acetylene gas for a flame