Carbon and salt?

Question

Hi,

When carbon is mixed in with salt (NaCl), does a precipitate form?

Thanks!

Answer 1

In aqueous solution, to form a new compound, the NaCl bond must first break (which occurs naturally in water), then the C-C or C=C bonds in solid carbon must break. However, before any Na or Cl can even try to bond to the free carbon electrons, it is far more probable that H-O-H from the aqueous solution will break and attach an OH- or H+ to the carbon.

Additionally, solid carbon (whose most stable form is graphite) would be content to not react with anything at room temperature, so would probably remain in overlapping hexagonal carbon sheets, which is a kind of carbon honeycomb. This is extremely stable and would be resistant to reaction.

So to answer the question, it is possible, but improbable, for carbon and NaCl to form a noticeable precipitate by all practical accounts.

Answer 2

No. The two won't react.