High hardness and low density make boron carbide (B₄C) an ideal candidate material for lightweight armor applications. Its yield strength in compression under dynamic uniaxial strain loading conditions, known as Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL), is on the order of 15–20 GPa¹—higher than that observed in any other commonly used armor ceramic. With its high strength and low areal density, B₄C clearly outperforms other armor ceramics in ballistic testing involving small arms ammunition (Figure 1).²