FORMATION OF LIQUID-PHASE IN THE CARBON-METAL SYSTEM AT UNUSUALLY LOW-TEMPERATURE

A phenomenon of the formation of liquid mobile metal-carbon particles is experimentally studied at comparatively low temperatures (600-700 d egrees C) in a vacuum during the reaction of Fe, Co, and Ni with amorp hous carbon and catalytic graphitization of carbon. A mechanism of the formation and maintenance of a liquid state of these particles is pro posed and characterized by transient and pseudo-steady-state regimes. The liquid particles (catalytic intermediates) are abnormally supersat urated solutions of carbon in metal (up to 50 at. % at 700 degrees C).