Method of preparing pressureless sintered, highly dense boron carbide materials

Abstract

In a method of preparing a boron carbide material, boron carbide powder is washed with essentially pure water at an elevated temperature to generate washed boron carbide powder. The washed boron carbide powder is combined with a sintering aid. The mixture of the boron carbide powder and the sintering aid is pressed to form a shaped material, and the shaped material is sintered. A sintered boron carbide material comprises a boron carbide component that includes boron carbide, elemental carbon, and not more than about 0.6 wt % of oxygen on the basis of the total weight of the boron carbide component. The sintered boron carbide material has a density of at least about 99% of the theoretical density. Another sintered boron carbide material comprises a boron carbide component that includes boron carbide, silicon carbide, elemental carbon, and not more than about 0.3 wt % oxygen on the basis of the total weight of the boron carbide component, and has a density of at least about 97% of the theoretical density.

1 . A sintered boron carbide material, comprising a boron carbide component that includes:
 a) boron carbide;   b) elemental carbon; and   c) not more than about 0.6 wt % oxygen on the basis of the total weight of the boron carbide component,   wherein the sintered boron carbide material has a density of at least about 97% of the theoretical density.   
     
     
         2 . The sintered boron carbide material of  claim 1 , wherein the boron carbide component further includes silicon carbide. 
     
     
         3 . The sintered boron carbide material of  claim 2 , wherein the boron carbide component includes not more than about 0.3 wt % oxygen on the basis of the total weight of the boron carbide component. 
     
     
         4 . The sintered boron carbide material of  claim 3 , wherein the sintered boron carbide material has a density of at least about 99% of the theoretical density.