Graphite boron carbides

The hitherto only known application of boron carbide with respect to its semiconducting properties is as a graphite/boron carbide thermocouple [588]. 

Boron and carbon form one compound, boron carbide [12069-32-8] B C, although excess boron may dissolve ia boron carbide, and a small amount of boron may dissolve ia graphite (5). Usually excess carbon appears as graphite, except for the special case of boron diffused iato diamonds at high pressures and temperatures, eg, 5 GPa (50 kbar) and 1500°C, where boron may occupy both iaterstitial and substitutional positions ia the diamond lattice, a property utilized ia synthetic diamonds (see Carbon, diamond, synthetic). 

In general, the purified boron carbide is ultimately obtained as a granular soHd that subsequendy may be molded or bonded into usehil shapes. To achieve high density and strength, it is hot pressed at 1800—2400°C in graphite molds. 

As noted above, the range of fibers employed does not precisely overlap with those employed for organic composites. Because the formation of the MMCs generally requires melting of the metal-matrix, the fibers need to have some stability to relatively high temperatures. Such fibers include graphite, silicon carbide, boron, alumina-silica, and alumina fibers. Most of these are available as continuous and discontinuous fibers. It also includes a number of thin metal wires made from tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, and beryllium. 

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 coml prod called, tNor-bide, mp ca 2375°, d 2.52 is prepd by heating anhyd boric oxide B30, with carbon in graphite resistance furnace at ca 2500°. Its special interest is due to its remade able hardness jwhich lies on the Moh s scale betw thatjof silicon carbide and diamond. Used as an abrasive. Detailed description of this compd is given in Kirk Othmer 2(1948), 830-4(21 refs)... 

The SSMS samples are reground with a boron carbide mortar and pestle and diluted with two parts of high purity graphite. The samples with graphite are placed in polystyrene vials with two or three %-in. 

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. 

The influence of the laser and plasma parameters (such as wavelength, laser power density, pulse length, plasma temperature, electron and ion density and others) on the physical and chemical processes in a laser induced plasma with respect to the formation of polyatomic and cluster ions has been investigated for different materials (e.g. graphite, boron nitride, boron nitride/graphite mixture, boron carbide, tungsten oxide/graphite mixture and superconductors ). 

Other careful electrochemical measurements of the oxidation potentials of 2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenol and 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol in acetate buffered ethanol or acetonitrile have been measured by Mauser et al.184). They determined the static potentials using a boron carbide indicator and a mercury/mercury-acetate reference-electrode. Since in this case the oxidation of the phenols and not the phenolates to the phenoxyls has been determined the oxidation potentials cannot be compared with those in Table 12. For other electrochemical oxidations of phenols in buffered aqueous solutions using a graphite electrode see Ref. 185 186>. 

Boron carbide pellets and structures can be produced by cold pressing and sintering (70-80% density) or by hot pressing. In the latter the B4C powder is first cold-pressed into pellet form and then hot-pressed in graphite dies at 2050-2300°C under 10.3 MPa (1500 psi). The density is controlled by varying the temperature and the pressure. 

The boron carbide-graphite bodies are heat-treated to 2000°C after extrusion or warm pressing while protected from oxidation. Heat treatment is limited to below 2200°C to prevent migration of boron into the graphite crystals, which would enhance radiation swelling of the matrix. 

At temperatures above 2000°C, the structural stability and strength of the boronated graphite materials degrade. Boron carbide melts at 2140-2450°C and reacts with the graphite matrix. 

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