Process for the production of metal carbides with an increased specific surface from activated carbon foams

摘要

Metal carbide or silicon carbide foam intended to be used as catalyst or catalyst support for the chemical or petrochemical industry or for exhaust systems, and process for its manufacture. The foam takes the form of a three-dimensional network of interconnected cages in which the length of the ridges is between 50 and 500 micrometers, whose density is between 0.03 and 0.1 g/cm3 and whose BET surface is between 20 and 100 m2/g. The carbide foam contains no more than 0.1 % by weight of residual metal and the size of the carbide crystallites is between 40 and 400 angstroms. The process of manufacture consists, starting with a carbon foam, in increasing its specific surface by a treatment of activation with carbon dioxide and in finally bringing the foam thus activated into contact with a volatile compound of the metal whose carbide it is intended to obtain.