Hard refractories

Low—medium alloy steels contain elements such as Mo and Cr for hardenabiHty, and W and Mo for wear resistance (Table 4) (7,16,17) (see Steel). These alloy steels, however, lose their hardness rapidly when heated above 150—340°C (see Fig. 3). Furthermore, because of the low volume fraction of hard, refractory carbide phase present in these alloys, their abrasion resistance is limited. Hence, low—medium alloy steels are used in relatively inexpensive tools for certain low speed cutting appHcations where the heat generated is not high enough to reduce their hardness significantly. 

Cemented carbides are fairly expensive owing to the use of hard, refractory materials. This is expected to become even more the case as some of the strategic materials used in these tools become more expensive or newer but more expensive materials such as HfC or HfN come into more common use. 

Interstitial Compounds. Tungsten forms hard, refractory, and chemically stable interstitial compounds with nonmetals, particularly C, N, B, and Si. These compounds are used in cutting tools, stmctural elements of kilns, gas turbines, jet engines, sandblast nozzles, protective coatings, etc (see also Refractories Refractory coatings). 

Boron is an extremely hard refractory soHd having a hardness of 9.3 on Mohs scale and a very low (1.5 x 10 ohm cm ) room temperature electrical conductivity so that boron is classified as a metalloid or semiconductor. These values are for the a-rhombohedral form. 

Lower Oxides. A number of hard, refractory suboxides have been prepared either as by-products of elemental boron production (1) or by the reaction of boron and boric acid at high temperatures and pressures (39). It appears that the various oxides represented as B O, B O, B22O2, and B23O2 may all be the same material ia varying degrees of purity. A representative crystalline substance was determined to be rhombohedral boron suboxide, B12O2, usually mixed with traces of boron or B2O3 (39). A study has been made of the mechanical properties of this material, which exhibits a hardness... 

The determination of precise physical properties for elemental boron is bedevilled by the twin difficulties of complex polymorphism and contamination by irremovable impurities. Boron is an extremely hard refractory solid of high mp, low density and very low electrical conductivity. Crystalline forms are dark red in transmitted light and powdered forms are black. The most stable ()3-rhombohedral) modification has mp 2092°C (exceeded only by C among the non-metals), bp 4000°C, d 2.35 gcm (a-rhombohedral form 2.45gcm ), A77sublimation 570kJ per mol of B, electrical conductivity at room temperature 1.5 x 10 ohm cm- . 

The binaiy hydrides (p. 64), borides (p. 145), carbides (p. 299) and nitrides (p. 417) are hard, refractory, nonstoichiometric materials with metallic conductivities. They have already been discussed in relation to comparable compounds of other metals in earlier chapters. 

Today, the term solid electrolyte or fast ionic conductor or, sometimes, superionic conductor is used to describe solid materials whose conductivity is wholly due to ionic displacement. Mixed conductors exhibit both ionic and electronic conductivity. Solid electrolytes range from hard, refractory materials, such as 8 mol% Y2C>3-stabilized Zr02(YSZ) or sodium fT-AbCb (NaAluOn), to soft proton-exchange polymeric membranes such as Du Pont s Nafion and include compounds that are stoichiometric (Agl), non-stoichiometric (sodium J3"-A12C>3) or doped (YSZ). The preparation, properties, and some applications of solid electrolytes have been discussed in a number of books2 5 and reviews.6,7 The main commercial application of solid electrolytes is in gas sensors.8,9 Another emerging application is in solid oxide fuel cells.4,5,1, n... 

However, its reactions with heavy metals at elevated temperatures form hard refractory interstitial nitrides of nonstoichiometric compositions. 

Tungsten also forms hard, crystalline refractory borides, such as WB2, W2B and WB when heated with boron in an electric furnace. Tungsten also forms a group of silicides, hard refractory compounds of compositions WSi2, WSis and W2Si3. These silicides are attacked by hydrofluoric-nitric acid mixture or by fused alkalies. 

Particulate ceramic matrix composites are two-phase ceramics, in which hard refractory particles or fibers are embedded in a ceramic matrix which is usually less creep resistant. Creep begins when the matrix begins to flow hence, the more refractory the matrix, the more creep resistant the composite. However, creep resistance of the composite is determined by both the creep behavior of the matrix and the concentration of particles in the matrix. At low particle concentrations, creep is determined primarily by the rheological... 

Properties Fine, hexagonal, hard, refractory crystals attacked vigorously by strong, hot alkali solutions forming methane gas and alkali beryllate. D 1.91 decomposes above 2100C. 

Properties Hard, refractory, white crystals. Mp 2200C, reacts with mineral acids to form the corresponding salts of beryllium and ammonia. Readily attached by strong alkali solutions, liberating ammonia. 

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