Boron / Boron carbide
Boron (B) and boron carbide (B4C) are characterized by their high hardness combined with low density. In addition, boron is an excellent material for neutron absorption. We offer boron and boron carbide powders in fine grain sizes.
Element | Product name | Grain sizes [µm] | Purity [%] | Apparent density [g/cm3] | Grain form/Manufacturing process | Additional information | |
Bor (B) | FAST-B-100 | <1 µm (Fisher Value) | >95.0 | - | - | ||
Boron carbide (B4C) | FAST-B4C-100 | D90 D50 D10 | 4.5 - 7.5 µm 1.5 - 3.5 µm 0.3 - 0.6 µm | B:C ratio 3.8-3.9 Specific surface area 6.0 - 9.0 m2/g | |||
Additional specifications upon request
Boron (B) is a metalloid and the lightest element of the boron group. In its elemental form it is black and extremely hard (Mohs hardness 9.3). In the earth's crust it occurs with a frequency of 0.001%. On earth it does not appear elementally, but in the form of borate minerals, such as borax and kernite. In nature, boron occurs as two stable isotopes, 11boron (abundance 80.1%) and 10boron (abundance 19.9%), the latter being a good neutron absorber.
Elemental boron is used in the semiconductor industry for doping. Furthermore, it is utilized for neutron absorption applications or as a sputter target for thin films.
In the glass industry, boron is used in the form of borax compounds for the production of glasses and ceramics, which are characterized by their high chemical resistance and thermal shock resistance (borosilicate glasses).
In the form of boron nitride (BN) and boron carbide (B4C), boron is deployed as an abrasive. Boron carbide has a Mohs hardness of 9.5-9.75 with a density of 2.52 g/cm3. This makes it attractive for use in lightweight body armor. Due to the high wear resistance of boron carbide, it is used in highly stressed nozzle systems or for the production of wear-resistant coatings.