The main preparation processes of boron carbide ceramics are powder preparation, molding and sintering. Boron carbide has poor plasticity and very small surface tension in solid state, all of which are the factors hindering sintering. Various sintering additives are usually added in atmospheric sintering to promote sintering. Additives can be divided into metal and inorganic nonmetal.

For boron carbide, carbon is an important sintering additive in the process. The advantage of using a small amount of carbon as sintering additive is that no third element other than carbon and boron is introduced. Compared with adding the third element, such as Si, Al, Mg, etc., as additives, the structure and properties of boron carbide have no great change.

The preparation of high-performance boron carbide ceramics is still an urgent problem to be solved. Many scholars at home and abroad have carried out long-term research. At present, adding a small amount of carbon, metal elements, metal oxides, borides and other sintering additives is an important method to prepare boron carbide ceramics.