Synthesis of zirconium diboride platelets from mechanically activated ZrCl4 and B powder mixture

ZrB2 platelets were prepared by mechanochemical processing a zirconium (IV) chloride–boron mixture with subsequent annealing from 800 °C to 1200 °C. The phases present were identified by X-ray diffraction. The size and morphology of the synthesized ZrB2 powders were characterized by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. At 800 °C, ZrO2 was detected in absence of ZrB2. At or above 1000 °C, ZrCl4–B converted to ZrB2. Moreover, at 1200 °C, ZrCl4–B completely converted to ZrB2 without trace quantities of residual ZrO2. The synthesized ZrB2 consisted of platelets with a diameter of 0.1–2.1 μm and a thickness of 40–200 nm.