| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 700860 | Diamond and Related Materials | 2010 | 4 Pages |
Boron carbide (B4C) coatings on diamond offer potential for obtaining homogeneous B4C-diamond composites with improved properties. A method was developed for coating diamond particles with B4C at 1150 °C under argon atmosphere for dwell times of 2–6 hours in a powder mixture of boric acid (H3BO3) and amorphous boron. The B4C coating showed very good adhesion to the diamond substrate, and an unusual five-fold symmetry thought to be due to a twinned growth mechanism. The sudden onset of nucleation at T > 1000 °C is ascribed to the stabilising effect of hydrogen from the decomposition of H3BO3 on the diamond surface reactivity.
Research Highlights►Boron carbide coatings grown on diamond ►At 1150 °C in 6 hours under argon ►Boron carbide coating showed five-fold symmetry ►Good adhesion to diamond substrate ►Thermodynamically stable species of boron, oxygen and carbon calculated
