Boron Carbide Nanoparticles - Properties, Applications

Nanoparticles are increasing being adapted for used in biological, chemical, and industrial areas. This article discusses the properties and applications of boron carbide nanoparticles. Boron and carbon are adjacent in the periodic table, with atomic numbers of 5 and 6 respectively.

Boron carbide is an extremely hard ceramic material. Boron carbide nanoparticles appear as gray black powder. They are graded as harmful, especially if inhaled.

Chemical Properties

The chemical properties of boron carbide nanoparticles are outlined in the following table.

Chemical Data
Chemical symbol B4C
CAS No. 12069-32-8
Group Boron 13
Carbon 14
Electronic configuration Boron [He] 2s2 2p1
Carbon [He] 2s2 2p2
Chemical Composition
Element Content (%)
Boron 78.24
Carbon 21.73

Physical Properties

The physical properties of boron carbide nanoparticles are given in the following table.

Properties Metric Imperial
Density 2.52 g/cm3 0.091 lb/in3
Molar mass 55.26 g/mol -

Thermal Properties

The thermal properties of boron carbide nanoparticles are provided in the table below.

Properties Metric Imperial
Melting point 2763°C 5005°F
Boiling point 3500°C 6332°F

Manufacturing Process

Boron carbide nanoparticles can be synthesized via a reaction of boron that is obtained from thermal decomposition of magnesium diboride, using multiwall carbon nanotubes. The temperature for this process should be 1150°C (2102°F) for 3 h in vacuum. Good crystallinity can be achieved through this process.

Applications

The key applications of boron carbide nanoparticles are as follows:

  • In boron neutron capture therapy, which is a therapy for treating brain cancer
  • In biomedical and bioscience areas
  • In coatings, plastics, and catalyst applications.

Source: AZoNano

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