Amorphous boron serves as a raw material for numerous chemical products. It is used in solid fuels and firelighters, and is added to welding and solder pastes. Furthermore, the automotive industry requires it for the igniters and gas generators in airbags. Boron is also used as an alloying element, for example in neodymium-iron-boron magnets, such as those used in wind turbines or electric motors. Due to its high hardness, boron is also used in high-performance ceramics and materials in mechanical engineering. Such ceramics are used, amongst other things, in ballistic protection systems, such as vehicle armour or body armour. In its nanoform, it is a component in the production of high-temperature superconductors.
