Preparing metal compounds by pyrolysis

This invention relates to the preparation of metal carbides, nitrides, silicides, borides and phosphides and to other metallic products.

By way of example of methods used in the prior art, tungsten metal in finely divided form is mixed with carbon black and the mixture is heated typically to a temperature of about 1700^o to 2300^oC. This results in tungsten carbide which is usually mixed with a binder metal such as cobalt and is then subjected typically to shaping into the desired shape, presintering, shaping and sintering.

Other hard metal powders are produced in similar fashion except that carburization is done at the metal oxide stage rather than with the metal itself.

Such methods pose difficulties such as the need for very high temperatures. Further difficulties are also encountered. If it is desired, for example, to apply the carbide as a coating, it has to be done by chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition which is limited to line of sight procedures.

It is an object of the present invention to provide better methods of producing metal carbides, nitrides, silicides, borides, phosphides, etc., such methods providing one or more of the following advantages: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>(1) Lower temperatures in the preparation of the metal compound M_aX_b wherein M represents the metal or metals, X represents the combining element or elements and the subscripts a and b represent the atomic proportions of M and X.</li><li>(2) A simplified procedure.</li><li>(3) Greater control over the combining proportions, a and b.</li><li>(4) More facile methods of application of M_aX_b to end products.</li><li>(5) Potential routes to materials or material morphologies that have heretofore been impossible or difficult to prepare.</li></ul>

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

I have found that organometallic complexes of the selected metal (hereinafter called precursors) can be prepared which are soluble in common organic solvents or can be melted at relatively low temperatures. Solutions can be applied to the surface of a substrate, heated to vaporize the solvent and then pyrolyzed on the surface. The pyrolysis can be carried out at relatively low temperatures to provide the substance M_aX_b. Yet the precursors are not so volatile that they cannot be pyrolyzed.

The organometallic precursor contains the metal M associated with the element X and with ligands. The element X may be bonded directly to M or it may be contained in one or more of the ligands, such that upon pyrolysis the ligands are lost with the exception of X which is bound to, or which becomes bound to the metal M. Preferably the ligands are free of halogen or oxygen directly bonded to the metal M. When possible, the precursor is designed such that there are multiple bonds between M and X to increase the likelihood that these two elements will retain a bonding interaction during pyrolysis. M represents a single metal or two or more different metals and X represents one or more elements.

The ligands endow the precursor with solubility in organic solvents or provide a material which is solid and meltable. Therefore solutions or melts of the precursors can, for example, be applied to a surface by dipping or brushing. Polymeric precursors may result directly from the method of preparation. The precursors can be pyrolyzed at relatively low temperatures. The method of application as coatings is not limited to line of sight.

The use of precursors of the present invention to produce alloys is useful where the alloy has a high melting point and is to be deposited on a substrate which is low melting or which would be damaged by contact with the molten alloy.

Examples of M and X pairs are set forth in Table I. X may be carbon, nitrogen, silicon, boron or phosphorus. M is a transition metal, a lanthanide metal, an actinide metal or tin. It will be understood that M may be more than one metal and that X is be one or more of the elements C, N, B, Si or P. <tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0001.tif" /></tables>

Examples of suitable solvents for the precursors are CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃, CO₂, SO₂, sulfolane, MeOH, EtOH, Et₂O, glyme, diglyme, THF, freon, benzene, toluene, DMSO, DMF, N-methylpyrolidone, hexane, and pentane.

The following specific examples will serve to illustrate the practice and advantages of the invention.

Example 1.

Preparation of Tungsten Carbide and Oxycarbide

Compound

1

<chemistry id="chem0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0002.tif" /></chemistry> is prepared as described by Ford and Laine in Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, Vol. 124, p. 29 (1977). Cp represents the cyclopentadienyl group. Precursor <u style="single">1</u> is placed in a quartz or nickel boat and is pyrolyzed in an atmosphere of nitrogen or argon at 500^o to 950^oC for 10 to 30 minutes. Conversion to W₂C resulted where the boat was of nickel and where it was of quartz the product was tungsten oxycarbide, W₂(C,O). In both cases the yield was about 95 per cent. The difference in results between nickel and quartz containers is believed to be due to the fact that quartz supplies oxygen to form oxycarbide. It is believed that this could be prevented by coating the quartz container with tungsten.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows the X-ray powder diffraction pattern of the product of pyrolysis in a nickel boat.

The tungsten oxycarbide is useful to coat alloys and as electrode material in electrochemical reactions.

The tungsten carbide, W₂C, is useful for hard, corrosion and wear resistant surfaces and can be used on cutting edges for machining tools.

The compound <u style="single">1</u> is soluble in common organic solvents such as methanol, methylenedichloride, diethylether, etc. In solution form it can be applied to a substrate, for example, by brushing or dipping. Upon heating the solvent is evaporated and the compound <u style="single">1</u> can be pyrolyzed to form a carbide or oxycarbide.

Compound <u style="single">1</u> may also be used as such without dissolving it in a solvent.

Example 2.

Preparation of Titanium Diboride

The organometallic precursor, Cp₂Ti(BH₄)₂, was prepared by the method described by A. S. Lee, K. Isagawa, and Y. Otsuji, Chem. Lett. 1984, 363-366 by reaction of Cp₂TiCl₂ with excess NaBH₄ in THF. The resulting purple complex (purified by filtration and vacuum removal of solvent) is very air sensitive. The solid material is transferred to both nickel and quartz pyrolysis tubes in a dry-box and under argon and into a pyrolysis oven. After heating at 850^o for 20 min., X-ray powder analysis shows TiB₂ and Tic present in 20 and 30% amounts, respectively. Very small particle sizes are obtained, less than 30 Angstrom units.

Example 3.

Preparation of Ruthenium Silicide

<u style="single">Method 1</u> (Precursor <u style="single">2</u>). To 8.9 mmol of octamethyltetrasilane are added 0.3 mmol of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ and the solution is heated at 135^oC in one atmosphere of hydrogen for 3 hours. A deep orange insoluble material precipitates and is washed with petroleum ether. The yield is 0.4 gram. The material is insoluble in methylene chloride but is soluble in THF and methanol. It is very hygroscopic in air. Infrared analysis of the solution in THF shows peaks at 2060 (w), 2042 (w), 2038 (sh), 2023 (w), 2004 (m), 1978 (vs)cm⁻¹. The product is believed to have the formula <chemistry id="chem0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0003.tif" /></chemistry><u style="single">Method 2</u> (Precursor <u style="single">3</u>). To 7.5 mmol of tetramethyldisilazane is added 0.08 mmol of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ and the solution is heated at 135^o under 1 atmosphere of hydrogen for about 1 hour. The Ru₃(CO)₁₂ disappears completely. The solution is evaporated. An oily orange residue remains in the flask. IR analysis (CH₂Cl₂) of the metal carbonyl gives: 2121 (w), 2101 (s), 2028 (vs) 2010 (vs), 1953 (sh)cm⁻¹. The formula of <u style="single">3</u> is believed to be <chemistry id="chem0003" num="0003"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0004.tif" /></chemistry><u style="single">Method 3</u> (Precursor <u style="single">4</u>). This precursor, [(C₂H₅)₃Si]₂Ru₃(CO)₁₀, is prepared by the method of Georg Suss-Fink described in his Habilitionsschrift entitled "Stochiometrische und Katalytische Aktivierungsreaktionen an dreikernegen Klustern des Osmiums und Rutheniums", University of Bayreuth, 1983.

Pyrolysis of each of <u style="single">2</u>, <u style="single">3</u> and <u style="single">4</u> at 800^oC for 2 hours yielded ruthenium silicide, RuSi. Figure 2 of the drawings represents the X-ray powder diffraction pattern of this product.

Example 4.

Preparation of Metal Nitrides and Phosphides

Metal nitride and metal phosphide precursors may be those described by Williams, Geoffrey and Whittle in J. Am. Chem. Soc. Vol. 107, pages 729-731 (1985), for example the nitrene compounds <u style="single">5a</u> and <u style="single">5b</u> described in Scheme 1 on page 729 or the phosphinidene analogue in which the nitrogen is replaced by phosphorus. Upon pyrolyzing at 800^oC for 2 hours an iron nitride or phosphide will result. By substituting other metals for iron the corresponding nitrides and phosphides will result.

Among suitable precursors are the following which are described in the literature. <tables id="tabl0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0005.tif" /></tables><tables id="tabl0003" num="0003"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0006.tif" /></tables>

The precursor may be in the form of a polymer. Examples of such polymers and their preparation are as follows. <chemistry id="chem0004" num="0004"><img file="EP0220198B1_D0007.tif" /></chemistry>

It will therefore be apparent that new and useful methods of producing metal carbides, nitrides, borides, silicides and phosphides have been provided. Also new and useful precursors for the same and new methods and materials have been provided for applying metal carbides, etc. to solid substrates.