Densification and mechanical properties of boron carbide with micro-hole array by micro-powder injection molding

For the purpose of obtaining fully dense B4C with micro hole array of high quality and precision, synthesis of B4C powders were carried out by micro powder injection molding. Five kinds of additive systems were used and their influences on mechanical properties were investigated. The relative density, Vickers hardness, bending strength, and fracture toughness of the B4C ceramics with BS10AY additive sintered at 2000 °C for 2 h could reach 97.56%, 3580.4 HV, 355.3 MPa and 5.87 MPa m1/2, respectively. The temperature was generally 100–200 °C lower than reported temperatures which was attributed to the additives. The improvement in mechanical properties was attributed to grain refinement. A mixture of intragranular and transgranular fractures occurred due to the fine microstructures and the additive systems in the B4C ceramics after sintering. Micro-hole array with the diameter of 450 μm and the length-diameter ratio of more than 8 were obtained. The inhomogeneous filling of feedstock from the substrate to the thin wall between two adjacent micro holes caused the inhomogeneous shrinkage of the substrate and micro holes.