STRUCTURAL

CERAMIC MATERIALS

Boron Carbide – B4C

Boron Carbide – B4C

Boron Carbide (B4C) is one of the hardest materials known, ranking third behind diamond and cubic
boron nitride. It is the hardest material produced in tonnage quantities.

Boron carbide, (B4C), crystalline compound of boron and carbon. It is an extremely hard,
synthetically produced material that is used in abrasive and wear-resistant products, in lightweight
composite materials, and in control rods for nuclear power generation.

Boron carbide powder is mainly produced by reacting carbon with B2O3 in an electric arc furnace,

through carbothermal reduction or by gas phase reactions. For commercial use B 4C powders usually

need to be milled and purified to remove metallic impurities. 2 B2O3 + 7 C → B4C + 6 CO

Boron carbide is produced by reducing boron oxide with carbon at high temperatures in an electric
furnace. After grinding, the black powder is solidified by pressing at temperatures exceeding 2,000° C.
Its melting point is approximately 2,350° C.
Boron Carbide – B4C

Boron carbide is difficult to sinter to full density, with hot pressing or sinter HIP being required to
achieve greater than 95% of theoretical density. Even using these techniques, in order to achieve
sintering at realistic temperatures (e.g. 1900 - 2200°C), small quantities of dopants such as fine
carbon, or silicon carbide are usually required.

As an alternative, B4C can be formed as a coating on a suitable substrate by vapour phase reaction
techniques e.g. using boron halides or di-borane with methane or another chemical carbon source.

Black colour, Rhombohedral crystal structure

Boron Carbide – B4C Structure

Boron carbide has a complex crystal structure typical of icosahedron-based borides. B12 icosahedra
form a rhombohedral lattice unit.
Boron Carbide – B4C Properties
Boron carbide is characterised by its:

• Extreme hardness

• Difficult to sinter to high relative densities without the use of sintering aids

• Good chemical resistance

• Good nuclear properties

• Low density

• High Hardness

• High Melting point

• High Young’s Modulus (it’s a very stiff material)

• Relatively low thermal expansion and conductivit

Boron Carbide – B4C Properties

Property Value
Density (g.cm-3) 2.52
Melting Point (°C) 2445
Hardness (Knoop 100 g) (kg.mm-2) 2900 - 3580
Fracture Toughness (MPa.m-½) 2.9 - 3.7
Young's Modulus (GPa) 450 - 470
Electrical Conductivity (at 25 °C) (S) 140
Thermal Conductivity (at 25 °C)
30 - 42
(W/m.K)
Thermal Expansion Co-eff. x10-6 (°C) 5
Thermal neutron capture cross section
600
(barn)
Boron Carbide – B4C Applications

The ability of boron carbide to absorb neutrons without forming long-lived radionuclides makes it
attractive as an absorbent for neutron radiation arising in nuclear power plants and from anti-
personnel neutron bombs. Nuclear applications of boron carbide include shielding, control rods, and
shutdown pellets. Within control rods, boron carbide is often powdered, to increase its surface area.

• Wear parts such as blasting nozzles, wire-drawing dies, powdered metal and ceramic forming dies,
thread guides, and armor.

• Abrasives for lapping and ultrasonic cutting

• Nuclear applications such as reactor control rods and neutron absorbing shielding

• Anti-oxidant in carbon-bonded refractory mixes