Densification of boron carbide powder during hot pressing

1. A study was made of the densification kinetics of B4C in hot pressing at temperatures in the range 1800–2200°C under a pressure of 225 kgf/cm2. 2. The effects of applied pressure in hot pressing at a temperature of 2100°C were investigated over the range 75–375 kgf/cm2. 3. It is demonstrated that the densification of boron carbide is controlled by a process leading to non-linear creep, whose rate is a function of the square of stress.