Hardness and wear resistance of B4C ceramics prepared with several additives

Boron carbide-based ceramics were obtained by pressureless sintering at 2250 deg C in the presence of several additives (C, B, TiB2 and SiC). All the samples were prepared under the same conditions, thus improving uniformity and comparability for method-dependent properties such as microhardness and abrasive wear resistance. While the addition of carbon improved relative density, samples with TiB2 showed best overall performance, with an increase in microhardness and wear resistance (as compared to pure B4C). The improvement in mechanical properties with the addition of TiB2 suggests it could be considered as a low-cost alternative to improve hardness and wear resistance of B4C-based ceramics.