Synthesis, crystal structure, and properties of stoichiometric hard tungsten tetraboride, WB₄

Title data

Bykova, Elena ; Ovsyannikov, Sergey V. ; Bykov, Maxim ; Yin, Yuqing ; Fedotenko, Timofey ; Holz, Hendrik ; Gabel, Stefan ; Merle, Benoit ; Chariton, Stella ; Prakapenka, Vitali B. ; Dubrovinskaia, Natalia ; Goncharov, Alexander F. ; Dubrovinsky, Leonid:
Synthesis, crystal structure, and properties of stoichiometric hard tungsten tetraboride, WB₄.
In: Journal of Materials Chemistry A. Vol. 10 (2022) Issue 37 . - pp. 20111-20120.
ISSN 2050-7496
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D2TA02268K

Official URL:

Abstract in another language

Tungsten tetraboride has been known so far as a non-stoichiometric compound with a variable composition (e.g. WB4−x, WB4+x). Its mechanical properties could exceed those of hard tungsten carbide, which is widely used nowadays in science and technology. The existence of stoichiometric WB4 has not been proven yet, and its structure and crystal chemistry remain debatable to date. Here we report the synthesis of single crystals of the stoichiometric WB4 phase under high-pressure high-temperature conditions. The crystal structure of WB4 was determined using synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In situ high-pressure compressibility measurements show that the bulk modulus of WB4 is 238.6(2) GPa for B′ = 5.6(0). Measurements of mechanical properties of bulk polycrystalline sub-millimeter size samples under ambient conditions reveal a hardness of ∼36 GPa, confirming that the material falls in the category of superhard materials.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Refereed:	Yes
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Group Material Sciences > Chair Crystallography Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Group Material Sciences > Professor Materials Physics and Technology at Extreme Conditions Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Group Material Sciences > Professor Materials Physics and Technology at Extreme Conditions > Professor Materials Physics and Technology at Extreme Conditions - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Natalia Doubrovinckaia Faculties Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science Faculties > Faculty of Mathematics, Physics und Computer Science > Group Material Sciences
Result of work at the UBT:	Yes
DDC Subjects:	500 Science > 530 Physics
Date Deposited:	16 Sep 2022 06:58
Last Modified:	07 Dec 2022 11:48
URI:	https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/71846