... the hardest materials known, ranking second behind diamond. Boron carbide is characterized as following,Extreme hardness,hardness 9.36.Difficult ... gasket), and the nozzles for water jet cutters, slurry pumping, grit blashing, etc. To take place of diamond in the processing ... tremendous amount of heat in combination with oxygen, boron carbide is used as rocket propellant in aerospace industry. It ...