A composition, comprising: a silicon-containing material and a boron-doped refractory compound, wherein the silicon-containing material is silicon metal and/or a silicide, wherein the composition comprises 0.001% to 85% by volume of the boron-doped refractory compound, wherein the boron-doped refractory compound comprises (a) a compound having the formula: Ln 2-x B x Si 2 O 5 where Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; and x is 0.001 to 1; (b) a compound having the formula: Ln 2-x B x Si 2 O 7 where Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; and x is 0.001 to 1; (c) a compound having the formula: Ln 3-x B x M 5-y B y O 12 where Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; x is 0 to 1.5; M comprises Ga, In, Al, Fe, or a combination thereof; y is 0 to 2.5; and x + y is greater than 0; or (d) a compound having the formula: Ln 4-x-z B x D z M 2-n-y A n B y O 9 where Ln comprises La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof; x is 0 to 2; D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, where: D is not equal to Ln; if D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to less than 4; if D is Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to 2 M comprises Ga, Al, or a combination thereof; A comprises Fe, In, or a combination thereof; n is 0 to 1; y is 0 to 1; and x + y is greater than 0. (a) a compound having the formula: Ln 2-x B x Si 2 O 5 where Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; and x is 0.001 to 1; Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; and x is 0.001 to 1; (b) a compound having the formula: Ln 2-x B x Si 2 O 7 where Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; and x is 0.001 to 1; Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; and x is 0.001 to 1; (c) a compound having the formula: Ln 3-x B x M 5-y B y O 12 where Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; x is 0 to 1.5; M comprises Ga, In, Al, Fe, or a combination thereof; y is 0 to 2.5; and x + y is greater than 0; or Ln comprises Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof; x is 0 to 1.5; M comprises Ga, In, Al, Fe, or a combination thereof; y is 0 to 2.5; and x + y is greater than 0; or (d) a compound having the formula: Ln 4-x-z B x D z M 2-n-y A n B y O 9 where Ln comprises La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof; x is 0 to 2; D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, where: D is not equal to Ln; if D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to less than 4; if D is Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to 2 M comprises Ga, Al, or a combination thereof; A comprises Fe, In, or a combination thereof; n is 0 to 1; y is 0 to 1; and Ln comprises La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof; x is 0 to 2; D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, where: D is not equal to Ln; if D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to less than 4; if D is Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to 2 D is not equal to Ln; if D is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to less than 4; if D is Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, or a mixture thereof, then z is 0 to 2 M comprises Ga, Al, or a combination thereof; A comprises Fe, In, or a combination thereof; n is 0 to 1; y is 0 to 1; and