Synthesis and characterization of boron carbide nanoparticles

Boron carbide nanoparticles were made via a reaction of boron, obtained from thermal decomposition of magnesium diboride, with multiwall carbon nanotubes at 1150 °C for 3 h in vacuum. The size of the nanoparticles is smaller than 100 nm. The bamboo structure of the multiwall carbon nanotubes is the key to the successful synthesis of such nanoparticles. Good crystallinity was demonstrated by scanning electron microscope images and X-ray diffraction patterns. The single-crystal nature of each nanoparticle was evidenced by a high-resolution lattice image obtained using a transmission electron microscope.