Question

What are the properties of the interstitial compounds of transition metals?

Answer 1

• The chemical properties of the interstitial compounds are the same as that of parent transition metals. 
• They are hard and show the metallic properties like electrical and thermal conductivity, lustre, etc. 
• Since metal-non-metal bonds in the interstitial compounds are stronger than metal-metal bonds in pure metals, the compounds have very high melting points, higher than the pure metals. 
• They have lower densities than the parent metal. 
• The interstitial compounds containing hydrogen (i.e., hydrides of metals) are powerful reducing agents. 
• The compounds containing carbon, hence behaving as carbides, are chemically inert and extremely hard like diamond. 
• In these compounds, malleability and ductility are changed. For example steel and cast iron.