Cubic Boron Nitride Nanopowder, Cubic, Size: <200 nm Purity: 99.9%

Description

Cubic Boron Nitride Nanopowder, Cubic, Size: <200 nm Purity: 99.9%

Cubic Boron Nitride (c-BN), also known as β-BN, possesses a crystal structure analogous to diamond. While thermodynamically less stable than its hexagonal form, the cubic form offers extreme hardness, exceptional thermal conductivity, and chemical robustness—making it ideal for advanced industrial and electronic applications.

Its sphalerite crystal structure (similar to diamond) ensures high performance under extreme conditions. Despite being metastable, the conversion rate to h-BN is negligible at room temperature, providing excellent stability during storage and handling.

As a nanopowder, this material is specifically designed for powder metallurgy, composite manufacturing, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and research applications requiring high-purity, fine-particle cBN. The nanoscale particle size enhances reactivity, sinterability, and dispersion characteristics, making it suitable for advanced processing techniques including Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), spark plasma sintering (SPS), and composite fabrication.

Technical Properties

Note: Properties marked with ranges reflect powder vs. consolidated forms. Powder properties are relevant for as-supplied material. Consolidated/bulk properties are achieved after sintering, HIP, or hot pressing processes at temperatures >1500°C under pressure. Contact our technical team for specific consolidation parameters and expected properties.

Powder Characteristics

This high-purity cubic boron nitride nanopowder offers excellent handling and processing properties optimized for advanced manufacturing applications:

Physical Properties

• Particle Size Distribution: <200 nm (D50, average)
• Morphology: Irregular to sub-spherical particles
• Specific Surface Area: 20-50 m²/g
• Apparent Density: 0.8-1.2 g/cm³
• Tap Density: 1.0-1.5 g/cm³
• Flowability: Good (suitable for powder processing and feeding systems)

Purity & Composition

• cBN Content: ≥99.9%
• Cubic Phase Purity: >95%
• Oxygen Content: <0.5 wt%
• Trace Impurities: <0.1 wt% (residual metals, h-BN phase)
• Free Carbon: <0.05 wt%
• Moisture Content: <0.1 wt%

Processing Advantages

• Compatible with all major powder metallurgy techniques
• Suitable for HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing) at 1500-2000°C
• Can be sintered with metal binders (Ni, Co, Ti, Al)
• Can be sintered with ceramic binders (SiC, Si₃N₄, Al₂O₃)
• Excellent dispersion in organic solvents and aqueous media
• Stable during storage (no phase transformation at room temperature)
• Low agglomeration tendency
• Enhanced sinterability due to nanoscale particle size

Preparation

Cubic boron nitride is synthesized using high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) techniques similar to diamond production. Conversion from hexagonal to cubic form typically occurs at 5–18 GPa and 1730–3230 °C. The extreme conditions required for synthesis ensure the formation of the metastable cubic phase with exceptional purity and crystallinity.

Synthesis Methods

High-Pressure, High-Temperature (HPHT): Catalysts such as lithium (Li), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), or their nitrides can significantly reduce pressure and temperature thresholds, making the process more economically viable while maintaining product quality.

Alternative Advanced Techniques:

• Shock Wave Synthesis: For producing heterodiamond materials (B-C-N compounds) with unique properties
• Low-Pressure Deposition Methods:
  • Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD)
  • Ion Beam Deposition
  • Reactive Sputtering
  • Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)

These alternative methods aim to suppress hexagonal BN (h-BN) phase growth and stabilize the cubic structure at lower pressures, though HPHT remains the primary industrial production method for bulk quantities.

Applications

Cubic Boron Nitride nanopowder is extensively used across multiple industries due to its exceptional hardness, thermal stability, and chemical inertness:

Industrial Manufacturing & Machining

• Machining Ferrous Materials: PCBN (Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride) cutting tools for steel, cast iron, and superalloys—resists chemical wear and solubility in Fe/Ni environments at high temperatures
• Precision Grinding: Tool bits, grinding wheels, and abrasive discs for hardened steels (>45 HRC)
• High-Speed Cutting: Automotive and aerospace component manufacturing
• Finishing Operations: Surface grinding, honing, and lapping of hardened materials
• Wear-Resistant Coatings: Protective layers for tools and mechanical components

Thermal Management Systems

• Heat Spreaders: Combines ultra-high thermal conductivity (when consolidated) with electrical insulation—ideal for power electronics
• Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs): High-performance heat transfer in electronic packaging
• Electronic Substrates: Thermally conductive base plates for high-power LEDs, laser diodes, and RF devices
• Heat Sinks: Advanced cooling solutions for processors, power modules, and telecommunications equipment

Advanced Materials & Composites

• Metal Matrix Composites (MMC): Reinforcement phase in aluminum, titanium, nickel, and copper-based composites for aerospace and automotive applications
• Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC): High-temperature structural materials combining cBN with SiC, Si₃N₄, or Al₂O₃
• Additive Manufacturing: Metal and ceramic 3D printing via powder bed fusion, binder jetting, and directed energy deposition
• Functionally Graded Materials: Gradient structures with tailored thermal and mechanical properties
• Protective Coatings: CVD/PVD precursor material for ultra-hard, wear-resistant surface treatments
• Sintered Compacts: Production of polycrystalline cBN (PCBN) tools via HIP or spark plasma sintering

Scientific & Research Applications

• X-ray Windows & Membranes: Thin, mechanically strong, low X-ray absorption material for synchrotron beamlines and analytical instruments
• High-Pressure Research: Diamond anvil cell windows and anvils for extreme condition experiments
• Neutron Detection: Boron-10 isotope for thermal neutron capture applications
• Radiation Shielding: Neutron absorption in nuclear facilities and medical equipment
• Materials Science Research: Synthesis of novel ultra-hard materials and B-C-N compounds

Electronics & Optoelectronics

• Wide Bandgap Semiconductors: Substrate material for high-temperature, high-power, and high-frequency electronic devices
• UV Photodetectors: Deep UV-sensitive devices exploiting the 6.4 eV bandgap
• High-Temperature Electronics: Stable operation in extreme thermal environments (>500°C)
• Dielectric Films: Insulating layers in microelectronics with excellent thermal conductivity
• Field Emission Devices: Electron emitters for vacuum electronics

Aerospace & Defense

• Armor Systems: Lightweight ballistic protection plates and composite armor structures
• High-Temperature Structural Components: Turbine blades, nozzles, and heat shields
• Erosion-Resistant Coatings: Protection against particle impact and oxidation
• Hypersonic Vehicle Components: Thermal protection systems for extreme aerodynamic heating
• Rocket Nozzles: Throat inserts and divergent section liners

Energy Sector

• Nuclear Applications: Control rod materials, neutron absorbers, and radiation-resistant structural components
• Fusion Reactor Components: Plasma-facing materials and first-wall protection
• High-Temperature Energy Storage: Thermal management in concentrated solar power systems

Automotive Industry

• Engine Components: Piston coatings, cylinder liners, and valve seat inserts for reduced wear
• Brake Systems: High-performance brake disc reinforcement
• Transmission Parts: Gear coatings for extended service life