Effect of Boron Carbide Particle Size Distribution on the Microstructure and Properties of Reaction Bonded Boron Carbide Ceramic Composites by Silicon Infiltration

doi:10.15541/jim20210452

Abstract

Abstract:

Effect of particle size of boron carbide raw material on the phase composition, microstructure and properties of reaction bonded boron carbide composites was investigated. It was found that particle gradation can make the powder packing more compact and effectively improve the volume density of green body, decreasing the content of free Si in the composites. Addition of coarse particles can reduce the reaction between B₄C and Si, which can generate SiC phase. When the weight ratio of B₄C powders with different particle sizes (3.5, 14, 28, 45 μm) is 1.5 : 4 : 1.5 : 3, the Vickers hardness, flexure strength, fracture toughness and volume density of the composites are (29±5) GPa, (320±32) MPa, (3.9±0.2) MPa·m^1/2 and 2.51g/cm³, respectively. The retard of reaction between B₄C and Si, and the decrease of free Si content along with the shrinkage of size of Si zone in the composites, are the main reasons for the improvement of the composite mechanical properties.

Key words: reaction bonded boron carbide, Si infiltration, particle size distribution, microstructure, mechanical properties

CLC Number:

TB333

XIA Qian, SUN Shihao, ZHAO Yiliang, ZHANG Cuiping, RU Hongqiang, WANG Wei, YUE Xinyan. Effect of Boron Carbide Particle Size Distribution on the Microstructure and Properties of Reaction Bonded Boron Carbide Ceramic Composites by Silicon Infiltration[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2022, 37(6): 636-642.

Figures/Tables 11

Table 1 Ratio of B4C raw material powders with different particle size distributions (%, in mass)

Group	Diameter of B₄C powders (D₅₀)/μm
Group	3.5	14	28	45	70	120
1	100	0	0	0	0	0
2	15	40	15	30	0	0
3	33	25	0	42	0	0
4	26	32	0	42	0	0
5	40	24	0	0	36	0
6	30	28	0	0	36	0
7	33	25	0	0	42	0
8	40	0	18	0	0	42
9	30	0	28	0	0	42
10	19	14	25	0	0	42
11	20	15	0	0	0	65
12	0	0	0	0	0	100

Fig. 1 Tap densities of B4C powders with different particle size distributions Groups chosen for further characterization

Fig. 2 Volume densities and open porosity of green bodies with different particle size distributions

Fig. 3 XRD patterns of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions (a) XRD patterns of RBBC composites; (b) Diffraction peaks of B4C; (c) Diffraction peaks of SiC

Fig. 4 SEM image of R2 RBBC composite and corresponding EDS analyses of the selected area(%, atom percent)

Fig. 5 SEM images of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions (a) R1; (b) R2; (c) R10; (d) R11; (e) R12

Table 2 Phase composition of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions (%, in volume)

Group	Theoretical		Actual
Group	B₄C	Si	B₄C+B₁₂(C,Si,B)₃	SiC	Si
R1	54.8	45.2	57.3	14.2	28.5
R2	62.7	37.3	63.9	13.3	22.8
R10	68.7	31.3	67.8	5.2	27.0
R11	69.9	30.1	69.4	5.1	25.5
R12	54.4	45.6	53.8	3.5	42.7

Table 3 Volume densities and open porosities of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions

Group	Open porosity/%	Volume density/(g·cm^-3)
R1	0.16	2.50
R2	0.16	2.51
R10	0.25	2.50
R11	0.22	2.51
R12	0.26	2.47

Fig. 6 Vickers hardness of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions

Fig. 7 Flexural strength of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions

Fig. 8 Fracture toughness of RBBC composites with different particle size distributions

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