Method of manufacture metal diboride ceramics

摘要

A powder of at least one of TiB2, ZrB2 and HfB2 is mixed with at least one of Ti, Zr, Hf, TiB, ZrB and HfB, or with at least one of Ti, Zr, Hf, TiB, ZrB and HfB and a powder of boron, to prepare a mixed powder which can form a sintered product having a boron content of 65 to 67 atom %. Alternatively, a powder of at least one of Ti, Zr, Hf, TiB, ZrB and HfB is mixed with a powder of boron to prepare the mixed powder. The mixed powder may further contain up to a maximum of 30% by weight of a powder of AlN. Then, the mixed powder is sintered to make metal diboride ceramics. The lower-melting metal or compound which the mixed powder contains melts to form a liquid phase and enables the manufacture of a sintered product of high density by a customary sintering operation employing a low temperature. The sintered product having a boron content of 65 to 67 atom % consists solely of metal diboride crystals having a structure of the hexagonal system.