Production of boron carbide fibers using boric acid and cellulose fibers

摘要

This paper presents a route for producing B_4C fibers from cheap and easily available raw materials. Textile cellulosic fibers and boric acid solution are used as raw materials. It is possible to reach an optimal mixture of the primary materials by a suted soaking method. After temperature treatment between 1500 degl C and 1750 deg C under argon boron carbide fibers are obtained. The influence of the reaction temperature on boron carbide formation was investigated by IR-spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, oxygen and carbon analysis. Almost pure boron carbide fibers of good quality were obtained at 1700 deg C. The shape of the raw fiber is retained during the conversion. The development of the manufacture process is still in progress and an improvement of the strength is expected. The fibers could be an alternative material to commercial available B_4C fibers.