Morphology control in high yield boron carbide

The production of boron carbide powder with uniform particle size in high yield is demonstrated via precise control of precursor processing and handling conditions. A gel is formed by complete dissolution of boric acid (H 3 BO 3 ) and sucrose in water which is dried, pre-treated at 550 °C and then calcined at 1400 °C to form the boron carbide product. Optimised synthesis conditions are obtained by managing exposure of precursor powders to atmospheric conditions. Exposure of precursor powders to humid environments causes significant changes in morphology due to water adsorption by dehydrated H 3 BO 3 variants. This hydration drives a loss of contact surfaces between boron and carbon components, decreasing boron carbide yield and increasing residual carbon impurity. Reactant dispersion in precursor powders is also shown to have a direct effect on formed boron carbide morphology.