Growth fusion of submicron spherical boron carbide particles by repetitive pulsed laser irradiation in liquid media

Abstract

We studied the fabrication of B₄C submicron particles by laser irradiation of boron nanoparticles dispersed in an organic solvent. The spherical shape of the formed particles suggests that instantaneous melt formation and solidification by quenching are involved in the particle-forming process. B₄C particles gradually became larger with irradiation time at relatively low laser fluence (1.5 J cm⁻² pulse⁻¹) by repetitive melting and fusion of the particles, and the B₄C yield increased with irradiation time to 90% for 600 min of irradiation. At higher laser fluences, the B₄C yield decreased due to the explosive ablation of boron or B₄C to form H₃BO₃, and thus only the larger B₄C particles were observed. The dielectric constant of the organic solvent also affected the generated B₄C particle size, probably due to the degree of particle aggregation. Thus, this technique can provide a new approach for fabricating spherical submicron particles of ceramic materials, such as carbides, with simple and safe processes.