High temperature stability and thermal expansion behavior of molybdenum-chromium M_2C carbides

The thermal expansion of molybdenum-chromium M_2C carbides has been studied over the temperature range from room temperature to 900°C using high-temperature X-ray diffraction. Hyperstoichiometric carbides demonstrated hysteretic thermal expansion/contraction as excess carbon was lost upon heating above 750°C in an inert environment. Coefficients of thermal expansion of both the a and c axes increase linearly with chromium content