The tungsten carbide–carbon monoxide–tungsten buffer and its use for synthesizing iron-bearing silicates in muffle furnaces

A new “solid-state” oxygen buffering reaction (WC-COW), WC + 1/2O2 ⇌ CO W, is presented. At atmospheric pressure, the fugacity in equilibrium with this buffer approximated range of 600–1200 °C by logfO2=1.53−21008TK±0.13bar. simple method for maintaining standard muffle furnaces using off-the-shelf ceramic crucibles described. The utility experimental arrangement controlling during solid-state synthesis iron-bearing silicates demonstrated rapid fayalite, Fe2SiO4, from oxide starting mixtures at 1050 °C.