Simultaneous Synthesis and Densification of Carbon Nano-Materials Dispersed Boron Carbide Composites Using Pulsed Electric-Current Pressure Sintering (PECPS)

Abstract:

Dense [boron carbide (B₄C)]/[carbon nanomaterials] composites were synthesized and sintered simultaneously using pulsed electric-current pressure sintering (PECPS) at 2173 K for 6.0×10² s (10 min) under 50 MPa in a vacuum. The starting powders were amorphous B and C nanopowders and nanocarbons. The latter were acid-treated carbon nanofiber CNF and carbon nanotube CNT. The sintered composites were evaluated from the viewpoints of mechanical properties at high temperatures up to ~ 2023 K in inert atmosphere. Thus fabricated composites with 10vol%CNF maintained high bending strength σ_b around 750 MPa even at 1973 K; this temperature is 100 K higher than that of conventional B₄C/CNF composites, and furthermore 600 MPa at 2023 K. These high σ_b at elevated temperatures might be explained by both the low content of catalytic Fe particles and the rough surface of CNF after the acid-treatment. On the other hand, B₄C/CNT composites displayed 770 MPa at 1723 K. The stress-strain curves demonstrate that B₄C/CNF composite deformed elastically until 1273 K and plastically up to 1973 K, however, the B₄C/CNT composites displayed elastic deformation up to around 1873 K.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 985)
• Pages: 202-210
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.985.202
• Online since: April 2020
• Authors: Ken Hirota*, Hironobu Hirahara, Kato Masaki, Toshiyuki Nishimura
• Keywords: Boron Carbide, Carbon Nanomaterials, High-Temperature Mechanical Properties

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