What is Boron Carbide B4C?

Boron carbide, also known as black diamond, is an inorganic substance with the chemical formula B4C. Hard black lustrous crystal.

It has a Mohs hardness of about 9.5, making it one of the three hardest materials known (after diamond and cubic boron nitride). Less fragile than most pottery. Used in tank armor, bullet-proof vests and many industrial applications. Relative density (D204)2.508 to 2.512. Melting point is 2350 ℃. The boiling point of 3500 ℃.

Boron carbide does not react with acid and alkali solution, has high chemical potential, does not react with acid and alkali solution, has high chemical potential, neutron absorption, wear resistance and semiconductor conductivity. It is one of the most stable to acids and is stable in all concentrated or dilute acid or alkaline solutions. Boron carbide is basically stable under 800℃ in the air environment, due to the higher temperature of the oxidation of boron oxide in the gas phase loss, resulting in its instability, oxidation to form carbon dioxide and boron trioxide.

It was discovered in the 19th century as a by-product of research on metal borides and was not studied scientifically until the 1930s. Boron carbide can be prepared by reducing boron trioxide with carbon in an electric furnace.

Because of its low density, high strength, high temperature stability and good chemical stability. In wear resistant materials, ceramic reinforcement, especially in light armor, reactor neutron absorbent applications. In addition, compared with diamond and cubic boron nitride, boron carbide is easy to manufacture, low cost, so it is more widely used, in some places can replace the expensive diamond, common in grinding, grinding, drilling and other applications.

What is Boron Carbide B4C Used For?

Controlled nuclear fission

Boron carbide can absorb large amounts of neutrons without forming any radioactive isotopes, making it an ideal neutron absorber for nuclear power plants, where neutron absorbers control the rate of nuclear fission. Boron carbide is mainly used in nuclear reactors as a controllable rod, but is sometimes made into a powder to increase surface area.

At the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, Russia finally stopped the chain reaction in the reactor after dropping nearly 2,000 tons of boron carbide and sand.

Abrasive materials

Boron carbide has been used as a coarse abrasive material for a long time. Because of its high melting point, it is not easy to cast into artifacts, but by melting the powder at high temperatures, it can be machined into simple shapes. Used for grinding, grinding, drilling and polishing of hard materials such as hard alloy and precious stone.

Coating paint

Boron carbide can also be used as a ceramic coating for warships and helicopters. It is lightweight and has the ability to resist armor-piercing bullets penetrating the hot-pressed coating as a whole.

Nozzle

It is used in the arms industry to make gun nozzles. Boron carbide, extremely hard and wear-resistant, does not react with acid and alkali, high/low temperature resistance, high pressure resistance, density ≥2.46g/cm3; Microhardness ≥ 3500kGF /mm2, bending strength ≥400MPa, melting point is 2450℃.

Because boron carbide nozzle has the characteristics of wear resistance and high hardness, boron carbide sandblasting nozzle will gradually replace the known carbide/tungsten steel and silicon carbide, silicon nitride, alumina, zirconia and other materials of the sandblasting nozzle.

Others

Boron carbide is also used in the manufacture of metal borides and smelting of sodium boron, boron alloys and special welding.

Boron Carbide B4C Powder Supplier

RBOSCHCO is a trusted global chemical material supplier&manufacturer with over 12-year-experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and nanomaterials. The company export to many countries including the USA, Canada, Europe, UAE, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Turkey, Mexico, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Brazil, Chile, Dubai, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, etc. 

As a leading nanotechnology development manufacturer, RBOSCHCO dominates the market. Our professional work team provides perfect solutions to help improve the efficiency of various industries, create value, and easily cope with various challenges.

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tags: Semiconductors semiconductor industry