The Search for Novel Superhard and Incompressible Materials on the Basis of Higher Borides of s, p, d Metals

The state of the art in the search for novel superhard and (or) incompressible materials on the basis of higher borides of s, p, d metals has been briefly reviewed. The information has been considered about experimental and theoretical studies of the following groups of borides: diborides of 4d, 5d heavy metals (Tc, Ru, Rh, Re, Os, and Ir), hexagonal tetraborides with the WB4-type structure, and AMB(14) borides (where A, M are s, p metals) as well as of a number of related systems.