Boron Carbide
An extremely hard boron–carbon ceramic a covalent material used in tank armor bulletproof vests engine sabotage powders as well as numerous industrial applications
Boron carbide is a covalently bonded solid with a high melting point 2427°C outstanding hardness Vickers 3770 kg mm2 good mechanical properties and low specific gravity 2 52 g cm2 making it ideal for use in lightweight armours
Boron Carbide: A black solid, B4C,soluble only in fused alkali; it is extremelyhard, over 9? on Mohs’scale; rhombohedral; r.d. 2.52; m.p.2350°C; b.p. >3500°C. Boron carbideis manufactured by the reduction ofboric oxide with petroleum coke inan electric furnace. It is used largelyas an abrasive, but objects can also be fabricated using high-temperaturepowder metallurgy. Boron nitride isalso used as a neutron absorber becauseof its high proportion ofboron–10.
Physical Properties:
| Melting point | 2450°C |
| Boiling Point | 3500°C |
| Density | 2.51 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.) |
| Solublity | insoluble in H2O, acid solutions |
| Form | Powder |
| Colour | Black |
| Specific gravity | 2.51 |
| Resistivity | 4500 (ρ/μΩ.cm) |
| Water solublity | Insoluble in water |
| Stability | Stable. Incompatible with oxidizing agents. Not flammable. |
| insoluble in H2O, acid solutions |
| insoluble in H2O, acid solutions |
