Preparation of homogeneous B4C ceramics with high toughness by tape casting

The homogeneous B4C ceramics are successfully prepared through tape casting, laminating and hot pressing. The obtained B4C slurry exhibited a shear thinning behavior. After tape casting, both sides of the green sheets were smooth and homogeneous. After lamination and decomposition treatment developed in argon, hot press sintering of laminated boron carbide was proceed at 2000 °C. The results indicate that the strength and fracture toughness of B4C specimens are 585 MPa and 4.9 MPa m1/2, respectively. The primary fracture mode is an intergranular type. The reasons for the improvement in mechanical properties should lie in the tape casting processing technique and the presence of carbonaceous residues in specimen.

► The homogeneous B4C ceramics are prepared by tape casting and hot pressing.
► Phase, microstructure and mechanical properties of samples were investigated.
► The reasons for the improvement in mechanical properties were discussed.