Synthesis of NaB5C bulk ceramics by reaction sintering

•Bulk ceramics of NaB5C were prepared by reaction sintering.•The obtained NaB5C bulk ceramics retained the original shape of the compact.•Addition of Na to the starting compact bodies increased the relative bulk density.•A fracture bending strength of 195 MPa was measured for the NaB5C bulk sample.

Bulk ceramics of NaB5C were prepared by heating compact bodies of amorphous boron (B) and carbon black (C) powders with Na at 1073 K. The obtained bulk ceramics retained the rectangular shape of their original compacts. The obtained samples had a density of 80.1 ± 0.6% of the theoretical density of NaB5C. NaB5C bulk ceramics were also prepared by heating compacts comprised of B and C powders and Na. The addition of Na to the starting compact bodies increased the relative bulk density to 83.5 ± 0.4%. A fracture bending strength of 195 MPa was measured for the NaB5C bulk sample prepared from the compact of Na, B, and C.

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