a very high-melting heavy dark yellow or brown crystalline compound TaC that is one of the hardest substances known, that is made by heating carbon with tantalum or tantalum pentoxide at high temperatures, and that is used in the cutting edges of high-speed tools, in dies, and in wear-resisting parts
In contrast to the ionic carbides, most interstitial carbides do not react with water and are chemically inert. Several have industrial importance, including tungsten carbide (WC) and tantalum carbide (TaC), which are used as high-speed cutting tools because of their extreme hardness and chemical inertness.
