Boron carbide (B4C) is a carbon compound with excellent properties, such as high hardness, melting point, and heat transfer. It is widely used in industries, military, aerospace, and other fields. This article will introduce the preparation methods, influencing factors, performance characterization, and application fields of boron carbide, providing references for research and application in related fields.

Preparation method

The preparation methods of boron carbide mainly include the carbon thermal reduction method, arc melting method, and 

chemical vapour deposition method.

Carbothermal reduction method

The carbon thermal reduction method is commonly used for preparing boron carbide. This method uses boric acid and carbon black (or graphite) as raw materials and generates boron carbide and carbon dioxide through a high-temperature melting reaction. The reaction equation is B2O3+3C → B4C+CO. The reaction temperature is generally 1500-1700 ℃. The advantages of this method are a simple process and low cost, but the purity of the prepared boron carbide is low, making it difficult to meet the high purity requirements.

Arc melting method

The arc melting method involves boric acid or borax's heating and melting reaction with graphite electrodes in an arc to generate boron carbide. The reaction equation is B2O3+3C → B4C. The reaction temperature is generally 1800~2000 ℃. The boron carbide prepared by this method has high purity and fine particles, but the process is complex and expensive.

Chemical vapour deposition method

The chemical vapour deposition method utilizes the reaction of gaseous borane and carbon black at high temperatures to generate boron carbide. The reaction equation is B2H6+6C → B4C+6H2. The reaction temperature is generally between 1000~1200 ℃. The boron carbide prepared by this method has high purity and fine particle size, but the process is complex and expensive.

Influencing factors

The factors affecting the preparation of boron carbide mainly include raw material quality, preparation temperature, and insulation time.

Raw material quality

The quality of raw materials is very important factor affecting the preparation of boron carbide. The purity and particle size of boric acid and carbon black (or graphite) impact the preparation and quality of boron carbide. The higher the purity and the more uniform the particle size, the better the quality of the prepared boron carbide.

Preparation temperature

The preparation temperature is a key factor affecting the preparation of boron carbide. High or low temperatures can affect the generation and purity of boron carbide. Generally speaking, the higher the preparation temperature, the faster the generation rate of boron carbide. However, excessive temperature can lead to the volatilization of boron and the excessive oxidation of carbon, affecting the quality of boron carbide. Therefore, selecting the appropriate preparation temperature is crucial.

Holding time 

Holding time is also one of the factors affecting the preparation of boron carbide. At a certain temperature, the longer the holding time, the more complete the reaction of boron carbide. However, if it is too long, it will lead to the volatilization of boron and excessive oxidation of carbon, affecting the quality of boron carbide. Therefore, choosing the appropriate insulation time is also crucial.

Performance characterization

The performance characterization of boron carbide mainly includes physical, chemical, and mechanical properties.

physical property

The physical properties of boron carbide mainly include density, conductivity, thermal conductivity, etc. Among them, the density is 2.52g/cm3, the conductivity is 10-6S/m, and the thermal conductivity is 97W/m · K.

chemical property

Boron carbide has chemical stability and is not easily reactive with acids and alkalis. B4C can react with O2, H2O, etc. at high temperatures to generate B2O3, CO, etc. In addition, B4C also has antioxidant and corrosion resistance, making it suitable for long-term use in high-temperature and corrosive environments.

Mechanical property 

Boron carbide has characteristics such as high hardness, melting point, and heat transfer, making it widely used in industries, military, aerospace, and other fields. Among them, the hardness is 3500kg/mm2, the melting point is 2450 ℃, and the heat transfer rate is 135W/m · K. In addition, boron carbide also has good wear and corrosion resistance, which can maintain its performance in complex working conditions.

Application field

Boron carbide is widely used in industries, military, aerospace, and the other fields due to its excellent performance.

Industrial sector

Boron carbide is mainly used in the industrial field to produce high-performance products such as abrasives, grinding tools, cutting blades, drill bits, etc. In addition, due to its high hardness and wear resistance, boron carbide can also be used to make ceramic composite materials, wear-resistant parts, etc.

Military field

Boron carbide is widely used in producing protective armour for military equipment such as armoured vehicles and tanks due to its high hardness and impact resistance. In addition, due to its high heat transfer performance, boron carbide can also be used to make heat sinks in military communication equipment.

About RBOSCHCO

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tags: Semiconductors semiconductor industry