Aluminum diboride

Boron nitride and titanium diboride coatings are used on graphite for the evaporation of Hquid aluminum. 

Uses. In spite of unique properties, there are few commercial appUcations for monolithic shapes of borides. They are used for resistance-heated boats (with boron nitride), for aluminum evaporation, and for sliding electrical contacts. There are a number of potential uses ia the control and handling of molten metals and slags where corrosion and erosion resistance are important. Titanium diboride and zirconium diboride are potential cathodes for the aluminum Hall cells (see Aluminum and aluminum alloys). Lanthanum hexaboride and cerium hexaboride are particularly useful as cathodes ia electronic devices because of their high thermal emissivities, low work functions, and resistance to poisoning. 

Bouix, J., Vincent, H., Boubehira, M., and Viala, J. C., Titanium Diboride-Coated Boron Fibre for Aluminum Matrix Composites, J. Less Common Metals, 117(l-2) 83-89 (Mar. 1986)... 

The industry continues to research improvements in the present production cells. Special attention is being focused on developing inert anodes and cathodes. Ferrites may find use as inert anodes, while titanium diboride may become the optimum material for cathodes. Before commercial use of inert electrodes can be achieved, cell sidewall materials must be developed which will withstand extremely reactive conditions and further improvements (i.e., less solubility of the anode and cathode materials are required). Over the past 15 years, American and Canadian aluminum producers have channeled nearly 1.5 billion into manufacturing technology research, the modernization and computerization of plant facilities, and new and better applications for the metal. Some of the results achieved thus far include ... 

Figure 1 2 12. The critical temperature in aluminum, scandium and carbon doped magnesium diborides as a function of the Lifshitz parameter z = (Er-Ep )/(EA-Er)...

Although few applications have so far been found for ceramic matrix composites, they have shown considerable promise for certain military applications, especially in the manufacture of armor for personnel protection and military vehicles. Historically, monolithic ("pure") ceramics such as aluminum oxide (Al203), boron carbide (B4C), silicon carbide (SiC), tungsten carbide (WC), and titanium diboride (TiB2) have been used as basic components of armor systems. Research has now shown that embedding some type of reinforcement, such as silicon boride (SiBg) or silicon carbide (SiC), can improve the mechanical properties of any of these ceramics. 

The high resistance of titanium diboride, TiB2, to many metal melts, particularly aluminum, has led to its use as an electrode and crucible material for electrometallurgical processes. 

Titanium diboride exhibits a high melting point, electronic conductivity, wetability by molten aluminum, and a resistance towards chemical attack of aluminum and molten fluorides. Due to these properties, TiB2 is considered to be the most promising material for inert cathodes in aluminum electrolysis. Also zirconium diboride belongs to the category of promising constructive materials due to its favorable properties. 

The occurrence of the binary borides of the alkaline, alkaline earth, aluminum, and transition elements has been collected in Table 1, together with boron compounds of the right main group elements (carbides, etc.). Only relatively well-established phases have been included. Noncorroborated and/or badly characterized borides lacking precise composition and structure data are not included. The reader is referred to other sources for references. There are no binary borides among the Cu, Zn, Ga, and Ge group elements with the exception of a noncorroborated early report on diborides in the Ag-B and Au-B systems. Two silicon borides have been established, namely, SiB3 4 and SiBe. 

The material is homogeneous diboride grains are distributed in the matrix of molten aluminum nitride, and distinct Tip2 and ABM boundaries are seen. 

---