• Hilmas, Gregory E.
• Feng, Lun

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Samarium hexaboride (SmB<jats:sub>6</jats:sub>) powders were synthesized by boro/carbothermal reduction of Sm<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> with B<jats:sub>4</jats:sub>C. Nominally pure SmB<jats:sub>6</jats:sub> powder had a mean particle size of about 400 nm and an oxygen content of 0.12 wt%. Sm<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">BO</jats:styled-content><jats:sub>3</jats:sub> formed as an intermediate phase during the synthesis. The synthesized powder was hot pressed at 1950°C to produce SmB<jats:sub>6</jats:sub> ceramics with relative densities &gt;99.6% and a mean grain size of 4.4 μm. Vickers’ hardness was 20.1 ± 0.7 GPa. Young's modulus measured by bending and ultrasonic methods was 271 and 244 GPa, respectively. The flexure strength was 253 ± 79 MPa and fracture toughness was 2.1 ± 0.1 MPa m<jats:sup>1/2</jats:sup>. These are the first reported results of the microstructure and bulk mechanical behavior of SmB<jats:sub>6</jats:sub> ceramics.</jats:p>

Topics

• grain
• grain size
• phase
• Oxygen
• strength
• hardness
• ultrasonic
• ceramic
• fracture toughness
• oxygen content
• densification
• Samarium