Exploration on synthesis of activated carbon supported molybdenum carbide, nitride and phosphide via carbothermal reduction route

A carbothermal reduction route was explored for the preparation of activated carbon supported molybdenum carbide, nitride and phosphide. The resultant samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction technique. The results showed that the MoP can be formed on activated carbon support by carbothermal reduction at 950 °C; the β-Mo2C can be also synthesized by carbothermal reduction in the presence of a small amount of hydrogen at 950 °C; whereas the γ-Mo2N cannot be synthesized via carbothermal reduction route. Considering the conditions of preparation, we observed that the difficulty in the preparation of Mo-based compounds by carbothermal reduction route ranked in the order of MoP < β-Mo2C < γ-Mo2N. An analysis of formation energy was presumably related to understand the difficulty and feasibility in the preparation of these Mo-based compounds by carbothermal reduction route.