Processing of boron carbide ceramics

Q:

The use of boron carbide:

1. Boron carbide has high grinding efficiency and is mainly used as a grinding medium in the grinding process of materials. It can be used as a polishing material, abrasive for water cutting, and diamond grinding tool correction material.

2. Produce bulletproof materials, such as bulletproof plates in bulletproof vests, ceramic bulletproof tiles in military aircraft pilot cabins, and ceramic bulletproof plates in modern armored transport and tanks.

3. Used in the nuclear industry, such as producing control rods and shut-off plugs for nuclear reactors, producing boron carbide tiles for radiation protection

Plate or neutron absorber, or mixing with cement to make nuclear reactor shielding layer

4. Produce other engineering ceramic materials, such as nozzles for sandblasting machines, nozzles for high-pressure water cutting machines, sealing rings, ceramic molds, etc

5. It is widely used as an antioxidant and filler in the refractory material industry in main materials such as magnesia carbon bricks and iron hook castables

6. Products made of boron carbide powder: sandblasting nozzles, sealing rings, nozzles, bearings, plungers for mud pumps, pestles and rocket launchers, ceramic coatings for warships and helicopters, etc., are used as a new type of material.

7. Due to its properties of oxidation resistance and high temperature resistance, boron carbide is widely used as an advanced shaped and amorphous refractory material in various fields of metallurgy.

Q:

Diamond has a hardness of 10, making it the hardest material among all substances, which cannot be compared to diamond or corundum. The hardness of boron carbide is 9.3, which is much higher than that of most ceramic and metal materials. Therefore, from a hardness perspective, diamond is significantly harder than boron carbide

However, in practical applications, the hardness of diamond may not necessarily be an advantage, as it is too hard and lacks toughness, making it prone to cracking or even fracture during use. Although boron carbide has slightly lower hardness, it exhibits extremely high wear resistance and strength, as well as good thermal and chemical stability, making it suitable for high temperature, high pressure, and chemical erosion environments

Q:

Boron carbide ceramics are a type of material with various excellent properties, and therefore have wide applications in many fields. Here are some of its applications:

Nuclear industry: Boron carbide ceramics play an important role in nuclear power plants and can be used to make control rods for atomic reactors. By inserting or pulling out control rods, the speed of nuclear reactions can be adjusted to ensure the stable operation of nuclear power plants. It can also be used as a radiation shielding material, effectively absorbing neutron radiation, protecting workers and the environment from radiation damage.

Military field: Boron carbide is used to manufacture weapons such as bullets, which can effectively absorb the generated neutron radiation and reduce damage to users.

Wear resistance and high-temperature applications: Due to its high hardness and wear resistance, boron carbide is used as an abrasive in fields such as grinding and ultrasonic cutting. At the same time, it can also serve as an antioxidant to resist oxidation reactions in high-temperature environments and improve the refractory performance of materials.

Bulletproof and Armor: The hardness and lightweight properties of boron carbide make it an ideal material for manufacturing armor. It has been widely used in bulletproof vests, armed helicopters, police bulletproof armor, civilian special vehicles, etc.

Engine manufacturing: The high hardness, strength, and wear resistance of boron carbide make it an ideal material for manufacturing high-temperature components in high-performance engines, such as piston rings and valves.

In addition, boron carbide ceramics are also used to manufacture worn parts, such as sandblasting nozzles, wire drawing molds, powder metal and ceramic forming molds, wire guides, etc

Q:

Boron carbide (B4C) is a very hard artificial material with a gray black color. Its Mohs hardness is 9.3 and its microhardness is 5500-6700 kg/mm2, second only to diamond and cubic boron nitride. The crystalline structure of boron carbide is hexagonal crystal. The density is 2.52g/cm3. The melting point is 2450 ℃, and when the temperature exceeds 2800 ℃, it rapidly decomposes and evaporates. Its linear expansion coefficient is 4.5 × 10-6/℃ (20-1000 ℃), thermal conductivity is 121.42 (100 ℃) W (m · K), 62.80 (700 ℃) W/(m · K), electrical resistivity is 0.44 (20 ℃) Ω· cm, 0.02 (500 ℃) Ω· cm