Nuh Mete TÜRKER, M.Sc. Student
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Yıldız Technical University
www.linkedin.com/in/nuhmetetürker/
Low Temperature Boron Carbide (B4C) Synthesis
Supervisor: Oğuz Karaahmet, Assoc Prof. Dr. Buğra Çiçek
Boron carbide (B4C) has a leading role in materials suitable for high performance applications (defence industry, nuclear technology and air-space industry) due to its attractive properties such as high hardness (31.5 GPa Vickers Hardness), low density (2.52 g/cm3), high melting point (2427 °C), high Young’s Modulus (462 GPa), superior chemical stability, ability to absorb neutrons, high corrosion and oxidation resistance and excellent thermoelastic and thermoelectric properties. Commercial processes for the production of boron carbide powder are based on carbothermal and magnesiothermal reduction of boron oxide. When carbon is used both as a reducing agent and a reactant, the process requires heat treatment at around 1700 °C or higher. The final products have considerable amount of free carbon residue. In addition to technical problems, undesired gas is produced by carbothermal reduction route. Boron carbide is also produced by the magnesiothermal reduction route at lower temperature, 1000-1200 °C, but the removal of magnesium compounds is extremely difficult [1][2][3]. Our studies are aimed to obtain high purity boron carbide by using low temperature synthesis methods.
[1] M. Paul, (2011), ''Low Temperature Synthesis of Boron Carbide Using a Polymer Precursor Powder Route '', MRes s in the Science and Engineering of Materials, University of Birmingham Research Archive.
[2] Suri, A. K., Subramanian, C., Sonber, J. K., & Murthy, T. S. R. C. (2010). ‘’Synthesis and consolidation of boron carbide: a review’’, International Materials Reviews, 55(1), 4–40. doi:10.1179/095066009x12506721665211
[3] Mondal, S.,& Banthia, A. K. (2005),’’Low-temperature synthetic route for boron carbide’’. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 25(2-3), 287–291. doi:10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2004.08.011