Tungsten tetraboride, an inexpensive superhard material.

Tungsten tetraboride (WB(4)) is an interesting candidate as a less expensive member of the growing group of superhard transition metal borides. WB(4) was successfully synthesized by arc melting from the elements. Characterization using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) indicates that the as-synthesized material is phase pure.