B4C
Boron carbide · Black diamond
Boron carbide is an exceptionally hard, stable ceramic compound used primarily for its durability in protective and abrasive applications.
About Boron carbide
Boron carbide is a robust, thermodynamically stable ceramic material composed of boron and carbon. As a wide-band-gap insulator, it exhibits exceptional structural integrity and chemical resistance, making it a cornerstone of modern materials science for demanding environments.
Its unique combination of low density and extreme hardness ensures its place as a critical component in ballistic protection and heavy-duty industrial applications. Its stability on the convex hull confirms its reliability as a structural material that maintains performance under significant mechanical stress.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Boron carbide, aggregated across 3 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting B4C.
Applications
Where Boron carbide is used.
Patent Landscape
6 patents reference B4C or close compositional variants.
| Patent | Title | Assignee | Granted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7550029 | Recycling method for Al—B4C composite materials | — | — |
| 8377369 | Density and hardness pressureless sintered and post-HIPed B4C | — | — |
| 5039633 | B4C/Al cermets and method for making same | — | — |
| 11906010 | Sacrificial materials to improve chemical vapor infiltration of B4C loaded preforms | — | — |
| 11795111 | Electro-conductive B4C-TiB2 composite ceramic and preparation method thereof | — | — |
| 11364654 | Indirect additive manufacturing process for producing SiC—B4C—Si composites | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Boron carbide, answered from cross-validated data.
What is B4C?
Boron carbide is an exceptionally hard, stable ceramic compound used primarily for its durability in protective and abrasive applications.
What is B4C used for?
What is the band gap of B4C?
Is B4C a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is B4C thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of B4C are known?
How is B4C synthesized?
What elements does B4C contain?
Where does the data for B4C come from?
How It Compares
Within the carbide hard materials class.
Within the class of carbide hard materials, boron carbide is distinguished by its superior hardness and lightweight profile compared to metallic carbides like ZrC or HfC. While silicon-based carbides such as SiC are widely utilized for their thermal conductivity and semiconductor properties, boron carbide remains the preferred choice for applications where maximum hardness and impact resistance are the primary engineering requirements.
Related Compounds
Other Carbide Hard Materials in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
Analyze B4C in the Lattice Graph platform
Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.
Explore the Platform →