New Low-Temperature Method of Synthesis of Boron Carbide Matrix Ceramics Ultra-Dispersive Powders and their Spark Plasma Sintering

Abstract

The ultra-dispersive powders of pre-ceramic precursors for boron carbide based composites were obtained by relatively low-temperature (at 200 – 1000 °C) synthesis from liquid charges containing available compounds such as salts and oxides. Boron carbide matrix ceramics were compacted by their reactive spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1500 – 1700 °C. It is noted that the X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks corresponding (m)ZrO2 and WC phases presented in the synthetic pre-ceramic precursors disappear after the SPS is conducted at 1500 °C. It is established that the addition of tungsten and cobalt compounds promotes both the low-temperature synthesis of ceramic components and sintering processes of their powders. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed that the ceramics contain a small amount of Co (0.8 – 2 wt.%). The density of samples of cobalt-containing ceramics B4C–ZrB2–W2B5–Co is higher compared to that of cobalt-free ceramics B4C–ZrB2–W2B5.