| Abstract Scope |
Boron carbide is an ultrahard, lightweight material that is highly attractive for aerospace, space, and protective systems, where weight reduction and high strength are critical. However, its broader use has been limited by its susceptibility to brittle fracture, which is often associated with localized loss of crystallinity and the formation of amorphous bands during deformation. Aluminum doping has been shown to suppress deformation-induced amorphization in boron carbide, offering a potential pathway to improve its damage tolerance. In this study, reaction sintering combined with non-equilibrium processing is used to fabricate aluminum-doped boron carbide samples as large as 75 mm in diameter for the first time. The microstructural and mechanical properties of aluminum-doped boron carbide ceramics are characterized across the micron, meso, and bulk scales to determine how crystal structure, grain structure, elastic stiffness, strength, and fracture toughness compare with those of undoped boron carbide. |