Boron carbide (BC) has a wide range of applications and my country’s research has made new progress

Boron carbide (BC), also known as black diamond, has a chemical formula of B₄C and is an inorganic compound. Boron carbide appears as gray-black micropowder or hard black shiny crystal. It is soluble in molten alkali and insoluble in water and various acids. Boron carbide has the characteristics of lightweight, low density, low thermal expansion coefficient, high elastic modulus, high melting point, and high strength. It is widely used in nuclear energy, military industry, abrasive materials, coating materials and other fields.

Boron carbide preparation methods include sol-gel method, carbothermal reduction method, direct synthesis method, chemical vapor deposition method, mechanochemical method, self-propagating thermal reduction method, etc. The carbothermal reduction method is suitable for industrial production and is the mainstream preparation method for boron carbide. It usually uses boron anhydride or boric acid as the main raw material, adds a carbon reducing agent, and then heats at high temperature to obtain the finished product. This method has the advantages of low operating cost and convenient operation. Advantages, but there are many by-products and high energy consumption; the chemical vapor deposition method is an emerging preparation method for boron carbide. This method has the advantages of being green and environmentally friendly and easy to control parameters, and can be used to prepare nanoscale boron carbide.

According to the “2023-2028 China Boron Carbide (BC) Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center It shows that boron carbide is a new type of non-oxide ceramic material that is widely used in nuclear energy, military industry, abrasive materials, coating materials and other fields. In the field of nuclear energy, nuclear-grade boron carbide can be used to control nuclear fission; in the military industry, boron carbide can be used to manufacture armed helicopters, body armor, bulletproof armored vehicles, etc.; in the field of abrasive materials, boron carbide has high hardness and good wear resistance. Advantages, it can be used to make cemented carbide; in the field of coating materials, boron carbide has the advantages of radiation resistance and fire resistance, and can be used as aircraft surface coating materials.

In recent years, my country’s enthusiasm for boron carbide research and development has continued to rise, and many new developments have been made. In January 2022, Professor Sun Xuping’s team from the Institute of Basic and Frontier Research at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China used ultrasonic technology to make boron carbide into two-dimensional nanosheets, which can be used as a catalyst to prepare artificial nitrogen fixation and synthesis of ammonia. In the future, with in-depth research, the application scope of boron carbide will be further expanded.

There are many boron carbide manufacturers in my country, and the market competition is fierce, including Sinomach Seiko, Ganfeng Technology, Zhengxing Abrasives, Fanyi Precision Porcelain, Jicheng New Materials, Zhongbo Technology, Meqilin New Materials, etc. Benefiting from the continuous improvement of technological level, my country’s boron carbide companies have occupied a competitive advantage in the global market.

Industry analysts said that boron carbide has the advantages of lightweight and high strength, and has broad application prospects in nuclear energy, military industry and other fields. In the future As downstream demand gradually releases, its industry development will further accelerate. After years of development, my country has become a major producer of boron carbide in the world. In the future, with in-depth research and technological advancement, my country’s boron carbide industry will gradually develop in a high-quality direction.