What is Boron carbide

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Boron carbide (B4C) is a carbon compound with excellent properties, mainly composed of boron and carbon elements, with the chemical formula B4C. It has characteristics such as high hardness, high melting point, and high heat transfer, and is widely used in industries, military, aerospace, and other fields. The article will provide a detailed introduction to the physical and chemical properties, preparation methods, performance characterization, and application fields of boron carbide, providing references for research and application in related fields.

Physical properties

Boron carbide is an inorganic non-metallic material with a 2.52g/cm3 density. It is a dense crystal with a black lustre and a cubic structure with a lattice constant of 0.243nm. Boron carbide has a low conductivity of 10-6S/m and excellent insulation performance. Its thermal conductivity is 97W/m * K, lower than metals and silicon but higher than materials such as ceramics and glass.

Chemical properties

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.

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 particle size, 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 superfine particle size, but the process is complex and expensive.

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.

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