Boron carbide has the characteristics of low density, high strength, good temperature stability and good chemical stability. It is used in wear-resistant materials, ceramic reinforced phases, especially in light armor and reactor neutron absorbers. In addition, compared with diamonds and cubic boron nitride, boron carbide is easy to manufacture and low in cost, so it's more widely used. In some places, it can replace expensive diamonds and is commonly used in grinding, drilling and other applications.
Researchers at Texas A & M University have discovered a new method that allows boron carbide armour used in bullet-proof vests to withstand high-speed bullets and other ballistic damage. This is to add a part of silicon to the boron carbide material, which can improve their ability to resist the impact of high-speed moving objects.
Boron carbide has a high hardness, so it is difficult to be destroyed, and its density is relatively small, so it is often used to make body armor. Soldiers, police, bodyguards, and other people in need have such needs, so they will support boron carbide to fit the shape of the human body, which is easy to wear.
Boron carbide can resist pistol bullets, shotgun bullets and slower rifle bullets. However, if a high-speed bullet with a flying speed exceeding 900 meters per second is encountered, the microstructure of boron carbide will undergo a phase change, resulting in a decrease in strength. Scholars from the Engineering Department of Texas A & M University explained:
We know that this phase change is caused by the high-speed vibration of the boron carbide material, which means that the physical state of the internal structure of the material changes. For example, liquid or solid belongs to the internal structure, and some materials have two states at the same time.
The original microscopic state of boron carbide is the crystal, with atoms arranged in order. But in materials like glass, the atoms inside are arranged randomly. When the bullet impacts, the place where the bullet and boron carbide contact will appear glassy, weakening the integrity of the material.
Boron carbide produces by Trunnano possesses high purity, small particle size distribution, high specific surface area, which is a kind of high-grade refractory materials, was widely used in high precision engineering ceramic nozzle, sealing, nuclear industry, national defence industry.
Learn more details about boron carbide, and please send an email at sales3@nanotrun.com.
