Investigation of Mechanical Characteristics of Materials Based on Refractory Borides

The object of research is the effect of sintering under pressure (10 MPa–4.1 GPa) on the formation of the structure and properties of ZrB2, HfB2, and composites on their bases. It has been found that high pressure consolidation results in an improvement of mechanical characteristics. In particular, the hardness and fracture toughness of the materials sintered under 4.1 GPa pressure are higher than those of the materials obtained under hot pressing conditions at 20–30 MPa and spark-plasma sintering at 50 MPa.High-pressure sintered HfB2 demonstrated hardness HV(9.8 N)=21.3±0.8 GPa, HV(49 N)=19.3±1.3 GPa, and HV(98 N)=19.2±0.5 GPa and fracture toughness K1C(49 N)=7.2 MPa·m0.5 and K1C(98 N)=5.7 MPa·m0.5. The HfB2 sintered by hot pressing at 1850 °C and 30 MPa demonstrated hardness: HV(9.8 N)=19.0 GPa, HV(49 N)=18.7 GPa, and HV(98 N)=18.1 GPa, K1C(9.8 N)=7.7 MPa·m0.5, K1C(49 N)=6.6 MPa·m0.5 and K1C(98 N)=5.3 MPa·m0.5. High pressure sintered ZrB2 (a=0.3167 nm, c=0.3528 nm, γ=6.2 g/cm3) demonstrated HV(9.8 N)=17.7±0.6 GPa, HV(49 N)=15.4±1.2 GPa, and HV(98 N)=15.3±0.36 GPa and K1C(9.8 N)=4.3 MPa·m0.5, K1C(49 N)=4.2 MPa·m0.5 and K1C(98 N)=4.0 MPa·m0.5. Addition of 20 wt. % of SiC to ZrB2 and sintering under high pressure (4.1 GPa) allowed essential increase of hardness to HV(9.8 N)=24.2±0.7 GPa, HV(49 N)=16.7±0.5 GPa, and HV(98 N)=17.6±0.4 GPa and fracture toughness to K1C(49 N)=7.1 MPa·m0.5, K1C(98 N)=6.2 MPa·m0.5; the material density was γ=5.03 g/cm3. Additions of SiC and Si3N4 to ZrB2 lead to some increase in fracture toughness (up to K1C(98 N)=9.2 MPa·m0.5).The developed ZrB2- and HfB2-based materials and composites can be used for aerospace applications, in cutting and refractory industries, etc

Investigation of Mechanical Characteristics of Materials Based on Refractory Borides

The object of research is the effect of sintering under pressure (10 MPa–4.1 GPa) on the formation of the structure and properties of ZrB2, HfB2, and composites on their bases. It has been found that high pressure consolidation results in an improvement of mechanical characteristics. In particular, the hardness and fracture toughness of the materials sintered under 4.1 GPa pressure are higher than those of the materials obtained under hot pressing conditions at 20–30 MPa and spark-plasma sintering at 50 MPa.High-pressure sintered HfB2 demonstrated hardness HV(9.8 N)=21.3±0.8 GPa, HV(49 N)=19.3±1.3 GPa, and HV(98 N)=19.2±0.5 GPa and fracture toughness K1C(49 N)=7.2 MPa·m0.5 and K1C(98 N)=5.7 MPa·m0.5. The HfB2 sintered by hot pressing at 1850 °C and 30 MPa demonstrated hardness: HV(9.8 N)=19.0 GPa, HV(49 N)=18.7 GPa, and HV(98 N)=18.1 GPa, K1C(9.8 N)=7.7 MPa·m0.5, K1C(49 N)=6.6 MPa·m0.5 and K1C(98 N)=5.3 MPa·m0.5. High pressure sintered ZrB2 (a=0.3167 nm, c=0.3528 nm, γ=6.2 g/cm3) demonstrated HV(9.8 N)=17.7±0.6 GPa, HV(49 N)=15.4±1.2 GPa, and HV(98 N)=15.3±0.36 GPa and K1C(9.8 N)=4.3 MPa·m0.5, K1C(49 N)=4.2 MPa·m0.5 and K1C(98 N)=4.0 MPa·m0.5. Addition of 20 wt. % of SiC to ZrB2 and sintering under high pressure (4.1 GPa) allowed essential increase of hardness to HV(9.8 N)=24.2±0.7 GPa, HV(49 N)=16.7±0.5 GPa, and HV(98 N)=17.6±0.4 GPa and fracture toughness to K1C(49 N)=7.1 MPa·m0.5, K1C(98 N)=6.2 MPa·m0.5; the material density was γ=5.03 g/cm3. Additions of SiC and Si3N4 to ZrB2 lead to some increase in fracture toughness (up to K1C(98 N)=9.2 MPa·m0.5).The developed ZrB2- and HfB2-based materials and composites can be used for aerospace applications, in cutting and refractory industries, etc

High-pressure synthesized nanostructural magnesium diboride-based materials for superconductive electromotors, generators and pumps

Additions of Zr can increase critical current density (jc) of high-pressure synthesized MgB2 (HPS-MgB2) in the same manner as additions of Ta or Ti, i.e. due to the absorption of impurity hydrogen (to form ZrH2). The formation in HPS-MgB2 of ZrB2phase at higher synthesis temperatures (about 950 °C) does not result in the jc increase. Some increase in jc of HPS-MgB2 at 10 K in the fields higher than 8 T was observed when nano-SiC was added. The additions of Zr, Ta or Ti can prevent the harmful MgH2 impurity phase from appearing and may prevent hydrogen from being introduced into the material structure and besides, their presence in HPS-MgB2 promotes the formation of a higher amount of MgB (most likely MgB2) inclusions in the MgBO material matrix that in turn leads to the increase of jc in magnetic fields. The high level of superconductive (SC) and mechanical characteristics attained for HPS-MgB2 and the possibility to manufacture large samples make its application in the superconductive electromotors, generators, pumps, etc., very promising