The Effect of Mechanical Activation Process on the Production of Elemental Boron

Abstract

In this study, the mechanical alloying-metallothermic reduction-the leach process was carried out one after the other and the elemental boron was produced from the B₂O₃ powders with the metallothermic method. Magnesium metal powders were used as a reducing agent for the production of elemental boron by metallothermic method. In the first stage of the studies, B₂O₃ powders mixed with metallic magnesium powders in different ratios (Mg/B₂O₃) were activated in a high energy mill for various times. In the mill, it was chosen to the weight ratio of the balls to the mixture was 20:1. These activated samples were subjected to reduction in a box-type oven at 1000 °C for 1 hour. Samples taken from the oven were subjected to the leach process in 6 M HCl solution for 6 hours. SEM and EDX analysis of the filter cake obtained after the leaching process were examined. In the EDX analysis, it was seen that the samples contained 97% of the elementary boron.