A chemical synthesis method to fabricate boron carbide to obtain boron carbide fine powders includes the steps of: (A) formulating a precursor solution including a boron source, a liquid organic carbon source and a catalyst; (B) subjecting the precursor solution to a pyrolytic reaction in the presence of electromagnetic radiation to obtain a boron carbide precursor; and (C) subjecting the boron carbide precursor to a thermal energy treatment in the presence of thermal energy to obtain boron carbide fine powders.

A chemical synthesis method to fabricate boron carbide to obtain boron carbide fine powders includes the steps of: (A) formulating a precursor solution including a boron source, a liquid organic carbon source and a catalyst; (B) subjecting the precursor solution to a pyrolytic reaction in the presence of electromagnetic radiation to obtain a boron carbide precursor; and (C) subjecting the boron carbide precursor to a thermal energy treatment in the presence of thermal energy to obtain boron carbide fine powders.

Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) system configured with the use of a composite material employing a non-metallic matrix and at least one of diamond particles, fused silica particles, boron carbide particles, silicon carbide particles, aluminum oxide particles, carbon fiber elements, carbon nanotube elements, and doped diamond particles to increase the structural integrity and/or strength of the SPM system, and a fraction of reinforcement ranging from at least 25% to at least 75% with advantageous modification of the Young's modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermal conductivity.

A general procedure applied to a variety of sol-gel precursors and solvent systems for preparing and controlling homogeneous dispersions of very small particles within each other. Fine homogenous dispersions processed at elevated temperatures and controlled atmospheres make a ceramic powder to be consolidated into a component by standard commercial means: sinter, hot press, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), hot/cold extrusion, spark plasma sinter (SPS), etc.

This application relates to monolayers of Si.sub.2BN or C.sub.2BN, arranged in a graphiticized hexagonal arrangement. Each Si/C atom has a Si/C, B, and N nearest neighbor, while each B (N) has two Si/C's and one N (B) as nearest neighbors. The monolayer can be a 2D composition or can be “rolled” into a nanotubular 3D arm-chair or zig-zag configuration.

A powder boronizing composition comprising: a. 0.5 to 4.5 wt % of a boron source selected from B.sub.4C, amorphous boron, calcium hexaboride, borax or mixtures thereof; b. 45.5 to 88.5 wt % of a diluent selected from SiC, alumina or mixtures thereof; c. 1.0 to 20.0 wt % of an activator selected from KBF.sub.4, ammonia chloride, cryolite or mixtures thereof; and d. 10.0 to 30.0 wt % of a sintering reduction agent selected from carbon black, graphite or mixtures thereof.

A powder boronizing composition comprising: a. 0.5 to 4.5 wt % of a boron source selected from B.sub.4C, amorphous boron, calcium hexaboride, borax or mixtures thereof; b. 45.5 to 88.5 wt % of a diluent selected from SiC, alumina or mixtures thereof; c. 1.0 to 20.0 wt % of an activator selected from KBF.sub.4, ammonia chloride, cryolite or mixtures thereof; and d. 10.0 to 30.0 wt % of a sintering reduction agent selected from carbon black, graphite or mixtures thereof.

A neutron absorber synthesis system that can synthesize boron carbide that is a raw material for a neutron absorber, by recycling boron (B-10) of a mass number 10 that can absorb boron, particularly neutrons existing in boric acid waste fluid, is provided. The neutron absorber synthesis system includes: a pre-processing unit to which a radioactive waste including boron is supplied from the outside and inflows to the inside and a compound is produced by removing moisture of the radioactive waste by heat treatment by a first heat source; and a boron carbide synthesizing unit to which the compound produced from the radioactive waste is inflowed inside and a boron carbide is synthesized from a raw material containing the compound and carbon by heat treatment by a second heat source.

A neutron absorber synthesis system that can synthesize boron carbide that is a raw material for a neutron absorber, by recycling boron (B-10) of a mass number 10 that can absorb boron, particularly neutrons existing in boric acid waste fluid, is provided. The neutron absorber synthesis system includes: a pre-processing unit to which a radioactive waste including boron is supplied from the outside and inflows to the inside and a compound is produced by removing moisture of the radioactive waste by heat treatment by a first heat source; and a boron carbide synthesizing unit to which the compound produced from the radioactive waste is inflowed inside and a boron carbide is synthesized from a raw material containing the compound and carbon by heat treatment by a second heat source.

Three-dimensional nanoporous aerogels and suitable preparation methods are provided. Nanoporous aerogels may include a carbide material such as a silicon carbide, a metal carbide, or a metalloid carbide. Elemental (e.g., metallic or metalloid) aerogels may also be produced. In some embodiments, a cross-linked aerogel having a conformal coating on a sol-gel material is processed to form a carbide aerogel, metal aerogel, or metalloid aerogel. A three-dimensional nanoporous network may include a free radical initiator that reacts with a cross-linking agent to form the cross-linked aerogel. The cross-linked aerogel may be chemically aromatized and chemically carbonized to form a carbon-coated aerogel. The carbon-coated aerogel may be suitably processed to undergo a carbothermal reduction, yielding an aerogel where oxygen is chemically extracted. Residual carbon remaining on the surface of the aerogel may be removed via an appropriate cleaning treatment.