Travis L Williams

US Patent:

20190352234, Nov 21, 2019

Filed:

May 3, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/402537

Inventors:

- COLUMBIA SC, US
- BALTIMORE MD, US
TRAVIS WILLIAMS - WEST COLUMBIA SC, US
ABDULGANIYU AJILORE - RANDALLSTOWN MD, US
MICHAEL SPENCER - BALTIMORE MD, US

International Classification:

C04B 35/563
C04B 35/628
C04B 41/85
C04B 41/00

Abstract:

The localized formation of graphene and diamond like structures on the surface of boron carbide is obtained due to exposure to high intensity laser illumination. The graphitization involves water vapor interacting with the laser illuminated surface of boron carbide and leaving behind excess carbon. The process can be done on the micrometer scale, allowing for a wide range of electronic applications. Raman is a powerful and convenient technique to routinely characterize and distinguish the composition of Boron Carbide (BC), particularly since a wide variation in C content is possible in BC. Graphitization of 1-3 μm icosahedral BC powder is observed at ambient conditions under illumination by a 473 nm (2.62 eV) laser during micro-Raman measurements. The graphitization, with 12 nm grain size, is dependent on the illumination intensity. The process is attributed to the oxidation of BC to BOby water vapor in air, and subsequent evaporation, leaving behind excess carbon. The effectiveness of this process sheds light on amorphization pathways of BC, a critical component of resilient mechanical composites, and also enables a means to thermally produce graphitic contacts on single crystal BC for nanoelectronics.