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Borazon, a boron nitride allotrope, is the third hardest artificially produced substance, after aggregated diamond nanorods and man-made diamonds, respectively. Borazon is a crystal created by heating equal quantities of boron and nitrogen at temperatures greater than 1800 °C (3300 °F) at 7 GPa (1 million lbf/in²). Borazon is the only substance other than ultrahard fullerites or another diamond that can scratch a diamond. A diamond will also scratch Borazon.
Borazon was first produced in 1957 by Robert H. Wentorf, Jr., a physical chemist for the General Electric Company. In 1969, General Electric adopted the name Borazon as its trademark for the crystal.
Uses and production
Borazon is used in industrial applications to shape tools, as it can withstand temperatures greater than 2000 °C (3500 °F), much higher than that of a pure diamond at 871 °C (1600 °F). Other uses include jewellery designing, glass cutting and laceration of diamonds.
It was produced by GE Superabrasives, a unit of GE Specialty Materials until the unit was sold to Littlejohn & Co. in December 2003.
See also
External links
Synthetic materials | Superhard materials | Boron compounds | Nitrides
"Borazon"