LOW-COST PRODUCTION OF BORON CARBIDE POWDER AND CERAMIC

AS STATED IN THE TOPIC DESCRIPTION, THE ARMY IS IN NEED OF LOW-COST HIGH-PERFORMANCE CERAMIC ARMOR. THE BEST ARMOR CERAMIC, BORON CARBIDE, IS CURRENTLY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE OF BOTH THE HIGH PRICE OF THE POWDERED STARTING MATERIAL AND THE HIGH FABRICATION COST BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT HIGH TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE REQUIRED FOR HOT PRESSING. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A NOVEL SYNTHESIS APPROACH FOR THE PRODUCTION OF REACTIVE SUBMICRON BORON CARBIDE POWDER, AT SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER COST THAN IS PRESENTLY POSSIBLE, WHICH CAN BE ECONOMICALLY FABRICATED AT LOWER TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES THAN ARE CURRENTLY NECESSARY.