Synthesis and densification of boron carbide nanowires

Abstract

One-dimensional materials have been proven to be an effective reinforcement for manufacturing high-toughness materials, but remain a great challenge in the field of B4C ceramics. In this study, B4C nanowires were synthesized and used for the preparation of B4C ceramics. The growth mechanism of the nanowires was proposed to be vapor-solid (VS) mechanism, where NaCl serves as an evaporator, porous carbon acts as a carbon source, and amorphous boron acts as a boron source. The B4C ceramics sintered at 1850 °C exhibit exceptional toughness, reaching a value of 7.13 MPa m1/2. The pull-out and bridging mechanisms play a dominant role in enhancing the toughness of the B4C ceramics. This study presents a novel approach to the synthesis of nanowires and has important implications for the production of high-performance B4C ceramics.