SiC Coatings for Carbon/Carbon Composites Fabricated by Vacuum Plasma Spraying Technology

SiC coatings for carbon/carbon (C/C) composites have been prepared by the combination process of vacuum plasma spraying technology and heat treatment. The SiC coatings were formed by the reaction of C/C substrates with as-sprayed silicon coatings deposited by vacuum plasma spraying. The preparation temperature and the thickness of original silicon coatings have great influence on the microstructure and the thickness of the synthesized SiC coatings. The results indicated that a continuous and dense SiC coating has been produced on the surface of C/C substrates. The SiC coatings prepared at 2073 K with the silicon coatings of 230 μm thickness, exhibited a low mass loss of 2.56% in the plasma jet with temperature about 2473 K and duration of 420 s in atmosphere. The present results implied that vacuum plasma spraying technology combined with heat treatment was an acceptable method for synthesis of protective SiC coatings for C/C composites.