CONDENSED MATTER-STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL, AND THERMAL PROPERTIES

摘要

Cubic boron nitride exhibits excellent properties, being the second hardest and thermally stable material after diamond. It has a wide band gap (6.4 eV), high optical transparency, and dielectric strength. It surpasses diamond in some properties such as oxygen stability even at elevated temperatures (>1,200°C) and high graphitization temperatures (1,500°C). It is chemically inert with ferrous materials such as steel and therefore very important in applications where these materials are concerned. Furthermore, diamond readily forms iron carbides (Fe_3C_2) with them.