Open AccessDemonstrating low‐temperature sintering of boron carbide powders
Author(s) -
Dai Jingyao,
Lee Wonho,
Gomez Enrique D.,
Yamamoto Namiko
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of ceramic engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2578-3270
DOI - 10.1002/ces2.10028
Subject(s) - sintering , carbothermic reaction , materials science , boron carbide , ceramic , carbide , nanoparticle , boric acid , phase (matter) , chemical engineering , metallurgy , boron , diffusion , chemical stability , nanotechnology , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering , physics , thermodynamics
Capability to sinter ceramics, especially carbides, at low temperature, is desired but is a challenge. Recently, cold sintering has been successfully demonstrated with oxides and other ceramics, but not with carbides due to high thermodynamic and chemical stability. In this work, low‐temperature sintering of boron carbide (B 4 C) was attempted at 1000‐1400°C; the proposed sintering is to form B 4 C nanoparticles with in situ carbothermal reduction from organic liquid‐phase precursors (boric acid and glycerin), and then to sinter the formed B 4 C nanoparticles, between B 4 C micropowders, which are expected to increase packing density and enhance diffusion and densification. Formation of B 4 C nanoparticles by in situ carbothermal reduction was confirmed, but only limited densification was observed due to material loss from chemical reactions and lack of pressurization. The achieved relative densities are low (57.7%‐62.8%) but comparable with those achieved with pressureless sintering at >2000℃.