Crucible-Free Preparation of Transition-Metal Borides: HfB2
Anne Henschel1, Michael Binnewies1, Marcus Schmidt1
1Chemische Metallkunde, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, Nöthnitzer Straße 40, 01187, Dresden, Germany.
Abstract:
This study gives an account of an innovative, crucible-free technique for the synthesis of single-phase borides at relatively moderate temperatures. A metal wire heated by an electrical current reacts with a chosen gaseous boron halide in a gas/solid reaction yielding a single-phase, oxygen- and carbon-free product, as evidenced by X-ray powder diffraction and chemical analysis. This method is demonstrated using the example of hafnium reacting with boron tribromide. Preliminary thermodynamic considerations show that this kind of crucible-free synthesis specifically enables the preparation of borides of transition metals and similar elements.
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