Machining / Grinding Boron Carbide Ceramics

CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC has years of experience manufacturing micron level tolerance products from Boron Carbide Ceramic. We leverage our in-depth dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, and polishing capability to manufacture the highest quality Boron Carbide products.

Whether you need prototypes or volume production, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC is here to help. Please contact us to discuss your applications.

About Boron Carbide

Boron carbide (B4C) is a black powder that can be hot pressed (or sintered or hot isostatic pressed) into solid form.  It is one of the hardest materials known, and it has low density and  high strength, all of which make it very attractive for use in armor applications. Above 1300°C, Boron Carbide is harder than diamond.  It has the unique ability to absorb neutrons making it a prevalent material in nuclear power plants.

Boron Carbide Applications

  • Ballistic armor
  • Radiation shields
  • Abrasives

Boron Carbide Properties

 

Units

Boron Carbide
Max Use Temperature (No Load) C 600 - 1000
Thermal Shock (Quenching) C 130 - 180
Thermal Conductivity W/(m K) 28 - 92
Specific Heat  J/(K kg) 950
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion 1/C (x10e-6) 5 - 5.6
Color Dark Gray
Moh Hardness 9.3
Vickers Hardness kg/mm^2 2400
Knoop Hardness kg/mm^2 2800 - 3500
Density g/cm^3 2.45 - 2.52
Porosity % of nominal <0.5%
Compressive Strength Mpa 1380 - 2855
Tensile Strength Mpa 350
Flexural Strength MPa 303 - 480
Fracture Toughness MPa m^1/2 3.0 - 4.0
Young's Modulus GPa 350 - 470
Poisson's ratio .16 - .21
Dielectric Strength kv/cm
Dielectric Constant (@1MHz) 4.8 - 8
Dielectric Loss Tangent
Resistivity ohm cm 0.1 - 10
The information provided in this table is for room temperature only, and is a compilation of publicly available data.  This information is provided for comparison purposes only, and is not intended to be warrantable.   Further, CiDRA® Precision Services, LLC disclaims any and all liability from errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.

 

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your Boron Carbide dicing, drilling, milling, grinding, polishing or any other machining applications.