Boron Carbide

B4C

Boron Carbide is generally immediately available in most volumes. Additional technical, research and safety (MSDS) information is available as is a Reference Calculator for converting relevant units of measurement.

Like diamond, a pure carbon compound, Carbide compounds tend to be extremely hard, refractory and resistant to wear, corrosion and heat, making them excellent candidates for coatings for drills and other tools. They often have other valuable properties in combination with toughness, such as electrical conductivity, low thermal expansion and abrasiveness.

Boron is a Block P, Group 13, Period 2 element. The electronic configuration is [He] 2s² 2p¹. In its elemental form boron's CAS number is 7440-42-8. The boron atom has a radius of 79.5.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Boron has an energy band gap of 1.50 to 1.56 eV, which is higher than that of either silicon or germanium. Optical characteristics include transmitting portions of the infrared. Boron is a poor conductor of electricity at room temperature but a good conductor at high temperature. Amorphous boron is used in pyrotechnic flares to provide a distinctive green color, and in rockets as an igniter Boric acid is also an important boron compound with major markets in textile products. Boron compounds are also extensively used in the manufacture of borosilicate glasses.