IndexPhysical structure of boron carbideSummary of physical properties:Production processesApplicationsEnvironmental impacts and sustainabilityBoron carbide is one of the hardest materials in the world, it has many uses due to its extreme hardness and resistance to Wear. Boron carbide was first discovered by Henri Moissan in 1899 when he reacted boron oxide and fused it with carbon in an electric arc furnace. It was not until the 1930s that its chemical composition was estimated to be B4C. It is also known as a black diamond due to its dark color and extreme hardness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayPhysical Structure of Boron CarbideBoron carbide is an advanced non-oxidized ceramic material, it has the chemical composition of B4C, however this is only an estimate as in practical situations boron carbide has a slight deficiency in carbon content, The structure of boron carbide is highly complex. Boron carbide known as icosahedron based boride, icosahedron is a solid shape with 20 sides and 30 edges, icosahedrons form a rhombohedral lattice. A rhombohedron is a three-dimensional solid shape that resembles a rhombus. According to the company FELDCO International the composition of boron carbide powder is: 74% - 79% boron, 17% - 24% carbon, 0.1% - 1% B203, 0.2% - 0.5% iron, 0 .2% - 1% B203. 1% - 0.3% silicon. Boron carbide has a high ability to absorb neutrons and is resistant to wear being a semiconductor, meaning it has a conductivity between that of an insulator and a conductor, semiconductors are often used as components in electrical circuits. Boron carbide has a relatively low density of 2520 kg/m3, which means that the material is very light, the hardness value of boron carbide is rated between 9 and 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, which classifies a material on a scale between 1 and 10, where 10 is the hardest material (diamond). While the Mohs scale is useful for quickly seeing the hardness of a particular material, the scale is not precise because it was created a long time ago. The hardness value of boron carbide is 2900-3580 kg/mm2. Boron carbide has a modulus of elasticity of 450-470 GPa and a melting point of 2445 degrees Celsius, however it begins to oxidize once the temperature exceeds 500 degrees Celsius, so the material should not be used if the temperature exceeds this temperature. Boron carbide has an electrical conductivity of 140 seconds at 25 degrees Celsius and a thermal conductivity of 30-42 W/m. K at 25 degrees Celsius and a coefficient of thermal expansion of 5x10-6 degrees Celsius.Summary of physical properties:Density: 2520 Kg/m3Hardness: 2900-3580 Kg/mm2Young's modulus: 450-470 GPaMelting point: 2445 °CEElectrical conductivity : 140 sThermal conductivity: 30-42 W/mK Coefficient of thermal expansion: 5x10-6 °C Characteristics of boron carbide: Extremely hard Resistant to chemical agents Low density Good nuclear capacity to absorb neutrons Difficult to sinter at relatively high densities. Production processes Boron carbide is produced when producing boron trioxide (B2O3) reacts with carbon (C) in the redox process. This reaction occurs above the melting temperature of boron carbide, this temperature is achieved by an electric arc furnace, large quantities of carbon monoxide are produced as a by-product of the reaction: 2B2O3 + 7C □(→┴ ) B4C + 6COIn commercial use, Boron carbide usually needs to be purified and ground to remove metallic impurities. Boron carbide is difficult to sinter to maximum density due to its low self-diffusion coefficient caused by strongcovalent bonds between its atoms, high resistance to grain boundary growth and low surface tension. Sintering is the process of making a compacted powder denser by eliminating interparticle pores by atomic diffusion driven by thermal energy, diffusion can make grain growth inevitable, grain growth is a process that competes against the densification of compacted powder. Densification increases the strength and toughness of the material but grain growth causes the toughness and strength to degrade, so it is ideal to try to reduce grain growth as much as possible. Grain growth can be reduced, however this involves the use of pressure to assist the sintering process, but this would incur a greater cost in the manufacturing process and is therefore not always economically viable. Applications Anti-ballistic armor: Boron carbide has the physical properties of high hardness, high modulus of elasticity and low density. The combination of all these properties make the material ideal for having the excellent ability to stop projectiles traveling at high speed. The low density and high hardness of boron carbide make it a lightweight material that allows a bulletproof vest to be made from the material. A body armor made of boron carbide has the potential to completely shatter a bullet upon impact, leaving nothing more than a bruise on the person wearing the body armor. The material can also be used on tanks and similar vehicles to act as armour. Waterjet cutter nozzles: The extreme hardness and wear resistance of boron carbide allows it to be used as a nozzle for high-speed, high-pressure waterjet cutters. . The water jet is capable of cutting metals and other materials, so the nozzle must be extremely wear-resistant so that the flow of the water jet is not distorted after continuous use. Neutron absorbing material: Boron carbide has the ability to capture neutrons, Boron carbide is generally used in nuclear power plants to protect workers inside the power plant from neutrons that are released during the process of producing nuclear power . Abrasives: Boron carbide is an extremely hard ceramic material, and because of this physical property, it is often used as an abrasive in the lapping and polishing process. Lapping is the process of rubbing an abrasive between two surfaces, the first material is the material that needs to be flattened and smoothed, while the other material is called lapping and can be a hard or soft material. Lapping is used when a particular roughness and flatness of the surface is required which goes beyond the capacity of standard grinding. Padlocks: Boron carbide has the physical properties of being very hard and resistant to wear making it an ideal material to choose in padlocks due to its ability to withstand the action of cutters and saws that a person may use who intends to break the lock. Barium Nitrate Replacement: In green colored fireworks the toxic metal barium nitrate, although barium nitrate is not harmful in small quantities after continued use of fireworks such as in a theme park or a military training camp, the amount of barium nitrate can accumulate and become harmful to humans. Boron carbide is a suitable replacement for barium nitrate due to its ability to burn for a long time and has a high light intensity when burned. Environmental Impacts and SustainabilityEnvironmental impact and sustainability refers to the ability of boron carbide to be recycled or reused after..