Titanium Diboride Ceramic - Material Information

Titanium diboride (TiB₂) is a highly covalent, ultra-hard ceramic known for its combination of high melting point, excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, and exceptional mechanical strength. Owing to its stability and wear resistance at elevated temperatures, TiB₂ is widely used in armor, cutting tools, and electrode applications in metal smelting processes.

Material Overview

TiB₂ crystallizes in a hexagonal AlB₂-type structure, exhibiting strong covalent Ti–B bonds that account for its outstanding mechanical performance. Its density is approximately 4.5 g/cm³, and its melting point reaches 3225 °C. The material’s hardness exceeds 30 GPa, with flexural strengths between 600–800 MPa and fracture toughness values up to 11 MPa·m^1/2 when optimally sintered (Raju & Basu, 2008). Electrical resistivity is low, around 10–7 ?·m, while thermal conductivity can exceed 60 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, making TiB₂ suitable for both structural and functional roles. Despite its superior hardness, its sintering behavior is poor due to limited self-diffusion. Additives such as SiC, TiSi₂, or metallic binders are often used to enhance densification and toughness (Lv et al., 2024). Studies on B₄C–TiB₂ composites show that adding 30 vol.% TiB₂ can increase hardness to nearly 30 GPa and improve fracture toughness to 7.5 MPa·m^1/2 (Švec, 2025).

Applications and Advantages

Due to its exceptional combination of properties, TiB₂ serves in applications demanding hardness, conductivity, and thermal stability. It is commonly used in aluminum smelting cathodes, wear-resistant coatings, crucibles, and ballistic armor. In titanium matrix composites, TiB₂ reinforcements significantly increase hardness (up to 305 HV) and elastic modulus (188 GPa) through in-situ formation during spark plasma sintering (Ayodele et al., 2023). These composites exhibit excellent wear resistance and maintain mechanical integrity even under cyclic thermal loads. Recent research into TiB₂-based nanocomposites and hybrid ceramics is pushing performance boundaries further, targeting aerospace and defense-grade applications where weight, wear resistance, and thermal endurance are critical.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies high-purity titanium diboride ceramics and powders suitable for research and advanced engineering use. Custom forms and specifications are available to meet precise thermal, electrical, and mechanical requirements. Explore titanium diboride and other technical ceramics through the Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Ayodele, O. O., Babalola, B. J., & Olubambi, P. A. (2023). Evaluation of the wear and mechanical properties of titanium diboride-reinforced titanium matrix composites prepared by spark plasma sintering. Materials, 16(5), 2078. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16052078
• Raju, G. B., & Basu, B. (2008). Development of high temperature TiB₂-based ceramics. Key Engineering Materials, 395, 89–100. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.395.89
• Švec, P. (2025). Wear resistance of B₄C–TiB₂ ceramic composite. Lubricants, 13(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13010035
• Lv, X., Yin, Z., Yang, Z., Chen, J., Zhang, S., Song, S., & Yu, G. (2024). Review on the development of titanium diboride ceramics. Recent Progress in Materials, 6(2), 009. https://doi.org/10.21926/rpm.2402009
• Nakane, S., Takano, Y., Yoshinaka, M., Hirota, K., & Yamaguchi, O. (2004). Fabrication and mechanical properties of titanium boride ceramics. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 82(12), 3489–3494. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1999.tb01975.x