Method of obtaining multicomponent fine-grained powders for boron carbide matrix ceramics production

The paper presents a low-temperature method for the synthesis of tungsten boride containing ultra-fine powders of boron carbide matrix ceramics constituting an important class of superhard materials with diversity of industrial applications. Wet chemical method was used to prepare preceramic precursors. The technique provides annealing of a viscous paste of the mixture of ammonium paratungstate–zirconium(IV) oxide–cobalt acetate tetrahydrate–sucrose–amorphous boron at 200 °C in air and then at 600 °C in argon atmosphere for 2 h with the further grinding and additional annealing of the obtained powders at 800–1500 °C. Hot pressing of the complex ceramic powders at 1000–1700 °C was realized by using the SPS method. It was established that at 600 °C there were formed WO3–x, Co3O4, CoO, and amorphous carbon. The XRD data confirmed low temperature (800–1000 °C) formation of WC–Co, ZrB2, B4C, and W2B5. Tungsten carbide was completely converted into tungsten boride. Structural-morphological characteristics of the obtained samples were studied by using the SEM.