Fully dense B4C ceramics fabricated by spark plasma sintering at relatively low temperature

Fully dense B4C ceramics with excellent mechanical properties were fabricated using the spark plasma sintering method. Compared to the monolithic B4C ceramics, the densification temperature of B4C ceramics was substantially decreased by the addition of a small amount of Ti. The influences of Ti on the densification behaviour and the mechanical properties of B4C ceramics were investigated. The assintered ceramics exhibited superior comprehensive mechanical properties, including a Vickers hardness of 32.1 GPa and flexural strength of 436.2 MPa, as well as fracture toughness of 5.49 MPa.m(0.5), owing to an enhancement in the relative density, decrease in the grain size and the blocking effects on crack propagation induced by the second phase particles.