Fabrication and characterization of FAST sintered micro/nano boron carbide composites with enhanced fracture toughness

Toughening of boron carbide (B4C) without hardness degradation, was achieved by hierarchical structures consisting of B4C micro-grains, titanium diboride (TiB2) grains, and graphitic phases along B4C grain boundaries. Such hierarchical structures were uniquely achieved by co-sintering of B4C micro-powder and carbon-rich B4C nano-powder, in situ formation of TiB2, and by utilizing the short sintering time of field-assisted sintering technology. Toughening mechanisms observed after micro-indentation include crack deflection and delamination of graphite platelets, micro-crack toughening and crack deflection/bridging by TiB2 grains. Fracture toughness enhancement was achieved while maintaining hardness: 4.65 ± 0.49 MPa m1/2 fracture toughness and 31.88 ± 1.85 GPa hardness for a micro/nano B4C-TiB2 composite (15 vol% TiB2 and 15 vol% B4C nano-powders) vs. 2.98 ± 0.24 MPa m1/2 and 32.46 ± 1.67 GPa for a reference micro B4C sample. In future, macro-scale mechanical testing will be conducted to further evaluate how these micro-scale hierarchical structures can be translated to macro-scale mechanical properties.

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Work Title Fabrication and characterization of FAST sintered micro/nano boron carbide composites with enhanced fracture toughness
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Jingyao Dai
  2. Jogender Singh
  3. Namiko Yamamoto
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Journal of the European Ceramic Society
Publication Date December 1, 2020
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.05.074
Deposited July 28, 2021

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  • Added Creator Namiko Yamamoto
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