Optimization of sol-gel synthesized preceramic polymer precursors for fabrication of high purity boron carbide (B4C) powders

Boron Carbide (B4C), due to its high hardness and elastic modulus, superior chemical stability, low density and high neutron absorption cross section, is well suited to a variety of industrial applications such as blasting nozzles, wire-drawing dies, powdered metal and ceramic forming dies, vehicle armour, bulletproof vest, nuclear reactor control rods and neutron absorbing shielding. The current fabrication techniques of boron carbide powders such as carbothermal reduction, direct synthesis from elements, vapour-phase reduction, and magnesiothermic reduction require expensive equipment and starting materials. For this reason, in recent years studies focused on the development of low-temperature synthesis techniques to reduce the production cost of boron carbide as well as to get better control over composition and particle morphology.