Mechanical properties of hot-pressed boron carbide materials
Paweł Rutkowski
Quarterly No. 1, 2013 pages 33-39
DOI:
keywords: boron carbide, chromium silicide, chromium carbide, chromium monoboride, hot-pressing, mechanical properties
abstract In the paper, a research study is presented that was carried out for the purpose of obtaining composite materials based on a commercial micron boron carbide. A hot pressing process was performed to produce all the necessary materials. Chromium carbides, chromium silicides, and chromium boride were used as sintering activators, and as the phases generating thermal stresses (to improve fracture toughness). Some additives were introduced, their amounts not exceeding 5% of the total volume of the sample. In the case where large amounts of the introduced phases were applied, the sintering temperature was reduced by 120°C as regards the boron carbide sintered with carbon. The phase composition and the structure of the sinters produced were analyzed. The microstructure of polished and chemically etched (in molten salts) samples was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The elastic properties, hardness, bending strength, and fracture toughness of the products were also determined.