Patent ID: 8377369
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: C04B

Abstract:
1. A method of preparing a boron carbide article comprising: forming a boron carbide green body from undoped boron carbide particles coated by boron oxide; driving said boron oxide out of said boron carbide green body at a removal temperature higher than 1100° C. and lower than 1400° C. to obtain a reduced boron carbide body; pressureless sintering said reduced boron carbide body at a pressureless soaking temperature selected from the range 2200° C.-2317° C. for a soak time that is no longer than required for said reduced boron carbide body to reach a shrinkage rate of 0.005% per minute followed by cooling said reduced boron carbide body to obtain a pressureless sintered boron carbide body having a relative density of at least 93%; and hot isostatically pressing said pressureless sintered boron carbide body at a temperature of at least 2000° C.