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Boron carbide

 
Boron Carbide

 
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Boron carbide
 
 
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Boron carbide (chemical formula B4C) is an extremely hard ceramic
Ceramic

File:Bridge from dental porcelain.jpgFile:Qing vase p1070256.jpgA ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetal solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling....
 material used in tank
Tank

A tank is a Continuous track, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility and Military tactics Offensive and defence capabilities....
 armor, bulletproof vest
Bulletproof vest

A ballistic vest is an item of armor that absorbs the impact from firearm-fired projectiles and shrapnel fragments from explosions. This protection is for the torso....
s, and numerous industrial applications. With a hardness of 9.3 on the mohs scale, it is the fifth hardest material known behind boron nitride
Boron nitride

Boron nitride is a binary compound, consisting of equal numbers of boron and nitrogen atoms. Its empirical formula is therefore BN. Boron nitride is isoelectronic with carbon and, like carbon, boron nitrides exists as various Polymorphism , one of which is analogous to diamond and one analogous to graphite....
, diamond
Diamond

In mineralogy, diamond is the Allotropes of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in an isometric-hexoctahedral crystal lattice. After graphite, diamond is the second most stable form of carbon....
, ultrahard fullerite, and aggregated diamond nanorods
Aggregated diamond nanorods

Aggregated diamond nanorods, or ADNRs , is a nanocrystalline form of diamond believed to be the Hardness and least compressible known material, as measured by its isothermal bulk modulus; aggregated diamond nanorods have a modulus of 491 gigapascals , while a conventional diamond has a modulus of 442 GPa....
.

Discovered in the 19th century as a by-product of reactions involving metal borides, however, its chemical formula was unknown.






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Boron carbide (chemical formula B4C) is an extremely hard ceramic
Ceramic

File:Bridge from dental porcelain.jpgFile:Qing vase p1070256.jpgA ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetal solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling....
 material used in tank
Tank

A tank is a Continuous track, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility and Military tactics Offensive and defence capabilities....
 armor, bulletproof vest
Bulletproof vest

A ballistic vest is an item of armor that absorbs the impact from firearm-fired projectiles and shrapnel fragments from explosions. This protection is for the torso....
s, and numerous industrial applications. With a hardness of 9.3 on the mohs scale, it is the fifth hardest material known behind boron nitride
Boron nitride

Boron nitride is a binary compound, consisting of equal numbers of boron and nitrogen atoms. Its empirical formula is therefore BN. Boron nitride is isoelectronic with carbon and, like carbon, boron nitrides exists as various Polymorphism , one of which is analogous to diamond and one analogous to graphite....
, diamond
Diamond

In mineralogy, diamond is the Allotropes of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in an isometric-hexoctahedral crystal lattice. After graphite, diamond is the second most stable form of carbon....
, ultrahard fullerite, and aggregated diamond nanorods
Aggregated diamond nanorods

Aggregated diamond nanorods, or ADNRs , is a nanocrystalline form of diamond believed to be the Hardness and least compressible known material, as measured by its isothermal bulk modulus; aggregated diamond nanorods have a modulus of 491 gigapascals , while a conventional diamond has a modulus of 442 GPa....
.

Discovered in the 19th century as a by-product of reactions involving metal borides, however, its chemical formula was unknown. It was not until the 1930s that the formula was determined to be B4C. Boron carbide is now produced industrially by the carbo-thermal reduction of B2O3 (boron oxide) in an electric arc furnace.

Its ability to absorb neutrons without forming long lived radionuclide
Radionuclide

A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable Atomic nucleus, which is a nucleus characterized by excess energy which is available to be imparted either to a newly-created radiation particle within the nucleus, or else to an atomic electron ....
s makes the material attractive as an absorbent for neutron radiation arising in nuclear power plants. Nuclear applications of boron carbide include shielding, control rod and shut down pellets. Within control rods, boron carbide is often powdered, to increase its surface area.

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