Boron carbide reduction

A powder with good characteristics (high purity, good homogeneity, fine particle size, narrow particle size distribution, absence of hard agglomerates) is a must to get the desired properties and microstructure in the final component and thus synthesis of high quality powder is extremely important. Powders of ZrB and HfB are synthesized by (a) reaction between elements (Brochu et al., 2008 Tamburini et al., 2008) (b) borothermic reduction of metal oxide (Peshev et al., 1968), (c) boron carbide reduction of metal oxide in presence of carbon (Sonber et al, 2010 2011) (d) carbothermic reduction of metal oxide and B Oj (Fahrenholtz et al., 2007) (e) Metallothermic reduction of metal oxide and B Oj (Setoudeh et al., 2006 Kobayashi et al., 1993),(f) molten salt electrolysis (Frazer et al.,1975) (g) solution based techniques (Yan et al., 2006) and (h) s3mthesis from polymer precursors (Suetal., 1991). 

Boron carbide reduction of metal oxide in presence of carbon Cheap raw material Suitable for commercial production Loss of boron Carbon contamination High temperature is needed... 

Research-grade material may be prepared by reaction of pelleted mixtures of titanium dioxide and boron at 1700°C in a vacuum furnace. Under these conditions, the oxygen is eliminated as a volatile boron oxide (17). Technical grade (purity > 98%) material may be made by the carbothermal reduction of titanium dioxide in the presence of boron or boron carbide. The endothermic reaction is carried out by heating briquettes made from a mixture of the reactants in electric furnaces at 2000°C (11,18,19). 

Preparation. The simplest method of preparation is a combination of the elements at a suitable temperature, usually ia the range of 1100—2000°C. On a commercial scale, borides are prepared by the reduction of mixtures of metallic and boron oxides usiag aluminum, magnesium, carbon, boron, or boron carbide, followed by purification. Borides can also be synthesized by vapor-phase reaction or electrolysis. 

Preparation. Boron carbide is most commonly produced by the reduction of boric oxide with carbon in an electric furnace between 1400 and 2300°C. In the presence of carbon, magnesium reduces boric oxide to boron carbide at 1400—1800°C. The reaction is best carried out in a hydrogen atmosphere in a carbon tube furnace. By-product magnesium compounds are removed by acid treatment. 

Reactions of boron ttihalides that are of commercial importance are those of BCl, and to a lesser extent BBr, with gases in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). CVD of boron by reduction, of boron nitride using NH, and of boron carbide using CH on transition metals and alloys are all technically important processes (34—38). The CVD process is normally supported by heating or by plasma formed by an arc or discharge (39,40). 

Boron carbide (p. 149) is a most useful and economic source of B and will react with most metals or their oxides. It is produced in tonnage quantities by direct reduction of B2O3 with C at 1600° a C resistor is embedded in a mixture of B2O3 and C, and a heavy electric current passed. 

Reduction of a metal oxide or other metal compound using C, B or boron carbide... 

Boron carbide is prepared by reduction of boric oxide either with carbon or with magnesium in presence of carbon in an electric furnace at a temperature above 1,400°C. When magnesium is used, the reaction may be carried out in a graphite furnace and the magnesium byproducts are removed by treatment with acid. 

Boron carbide (B4C) is also an extremely hard, infusible, and inert substance, made by reduction of B203 with carbon in an electric furnace at 2500°C, and has a very unusual structure. The C atoms occur in linear chains of 3, and the boron atoms in icosahedral groups of 12 (as in crystalline boron itself). These two units are then packed together in a sodium chloride-like array. There are, of course, covalent bonds between C and B atoms as well as between B atoms in different icosahedra. A graphite-like boron carbide (BQ) has been made by interaction of benzene and BC13 at 800°C. 

Reduction of a Metal Oxide or Other Metal Compound Using B, C or Boron Carbide... 

It can be used for hexaborides as well. Reduction with boron carbide can also be used for diborides as well as hexaborides, although in that case alkaline-earth and rare-earth hexaborides will dissolve some carbon forming RBs-xCx borocarbides. 

Elemental boron is a refractory material that is usually isolated either as a shiny black crystalline solid or a softer, browner, more impure amorphous solid. Reduction of readily available boron compounds containing boron oxygen bonds to elemental boron is energy intensive and costly. This has limited the extent of conunercial use of this material. Many related refractory boron compounds have been prepared and characterized including metal borides, boron carbides, boron nitrides, and various boron metal alloys. These refractory materials and elemental boron are also discussed in some detail in the article Borides Solid-state Chemistry. Other general references are available on elemental boron and other refractory boron compounds. " ... 

Rednction of boron trihaUdes to elemental boron can be accomplished by heating with alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, or hydrogen. Under the proper conditions, rednctions of this type can also yield diborane and, under selected conditions, boron subhalides (see below). Metal hydrides also react with boron trihalides to give diborane. Boron nitride and boron carbide have been prepared by the high-temperature reductions of boron trihalides with ammonia and methane, respectively, and deposited on metal substrates by CVD. 

Borides. Zirconium forms two borides zirconium diboride [12045-64-6] ZrB2, and zirconium dodecabotide [12046-91 -2] ZtB 2- Th diboride is synthesized from the elements, by vapor-phase coreduction of zirconium and boron hahdes, or by the carbothermic reduction of zirconium oxide and boron carbide boric oxide is avoided because of its relatively high vapor pressure at the reaction temperature. 

Boron carbide (B4C) is one of the hardest known materials with excellent properties of low density, very high chemical and thermal stability, and high neutron absorption cross-section. Bulk B4C is conventionally synthesized by high temperature (up to 2400 °C) reactions, such as the carbothermal reduction of boric acid or boron oxide. Nanocrystalline B4C was solvothermally synthesized in CCI4 at 600 °C (Reaction (32)). 

Single crystals a few mm long are obtained by chemical vapor deposition (cf. 5.3.2.2.3), or by reduction of B2O3 by graphite in an electrical arc . A 6-mm diameter sintered boron carbide rod can be zone melted under Ar... 

Boron fibers are used to reinforce different epoxy or light-metal matrices. To hinder interactions with metals, they should be protected by boron carbide deposits obtained by chemical vapor deposition. Boron carbide fibers can be prepared directly by reaction of boron obtained by the reduction of BCI3 on carbon fibers. ... 

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