Engineering porosity in silicon carbide ceramics

Porosity and microstructure control of the strut are essential for tailoring the properties of porous SiC ceramics. This study examined four different strategies for engineering the porosity of SiC ceramics: adjusting the template content, processing parameters, filler content, and sintering additive content. The suggested strategies offer substantial flexibility for producing SiC ceramics with engineered porosity, whereby the total porosity can be controlled effectively from 35 to 95%. These results suggest that combinations of the proposed strategies will be useful for the manufacture of porous SiC ceramics with engineered porosity.     

Microstructural characterization of reaction-formed silicon carbide ceramics

Microstructural characterization of two reaction-formed silicon carbide ceramics has been carried out by interference layering, plasma etching, and microscopy. These specimens contained free silicon and niobium disilicide as minor phases with silicon carbide as the major phase. In conventionally prepared samples, the niobium disilicide cannot be distinguished from silicon in light optical micrographs. After interference layering, all phases are clearly distinguishable. Backscattered electron imaging and energy-dispersive spectrometry in the scanning electron microscope confirmed the results obtained by interference layering. Plasma etching with CF₄ + 4% O₂ selectively attacks silicon in these specimens. It is demonstrated that interference layering and plasma etching are very useful techniques in the phase identification and microstructural characterization of multiphase ceramic materials.     

Oxidation bonding of porous silicon carbide ceramics

A oxidation-bonding technique was successfully developed to fabricate porous SiC ceramics using the powder mixtures of SiC, Al₂O₃ and C. The oxidation-bonding behavior, mechanical strength, open porosity and pore-size distribution were investigated as a function of Al₂O₃ content as well as graphite particle size and volume fraction. The pore size and porosity were observed to be strongly dependent on graphite particle size and volume fraction. In contrast, the degree of SiC oxidation was not significantly affected by graphite particle size and volume fraction. In addition, it was found that the fracture strength of oxidation-bonded SiC ceramics at a given porosity decreases with the pore size but increases with the neck size. Due to the enhancement of neck growth by the additions of Al₂O₃, a high strength of 39.6 MPa was achieved at a porosity of 36.4%. Moreover, such a porous ceramic exhibited an excellent oxidation resistance and a high Weibull modulus.     

Surface oxidation of silicon carbide: quantitative measurement and Rh effect

The oxidation degree of a commercial silicon carbide (SiC) powder was studied by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, using the intensity of the δ (SiO₂) band at 450 cm⁻¹ for measurements. Results are related to data obtained by LECO and gravimetric measurements. The influence of water in oxygen on the rate of the oxidation process was particularly examined. It was found that water alone had an oxidizing efficiency and that its mixture with oxygen increased the effect of the latter. The presence of Rh particles on SiC promoted the formation of SiO₂. However, as shown by the IR study of CO adsorption, this formation embedded the metal particles. This effect can be avoided by loading Rh on a precalcined SiC sample.     

Visualization of the damage evolution in impacted silicon carbide ceramics

An experimental technique has been developed by Arcueil Research and Study Center (CREA) to visualize and follow the evolution of damage in a ceramic during impact. This technique, based on the use of a high-speed camera, allows to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on the damage location and evolution. Experimental data such as crack front velocity, fracture velocity, crack density and time of damage initiation can be obtained. The advantages of this technique are discussed. The experimental set-up and the results obtained by this technique are presented. A numerical simulation is compared with experimental measurements.     

Indentation fatigue in silicon nitride, alumina and silicon carbide ceramics

Repeated indentation fatigue (RIF) experiments conducted on the same spot of different structural ceramics viz. a hot pressed silicon nitride (HPSN), sintered alumina of two different grain sizes viz. 1 μm and 25 μm, and a sintered silicon carbide (SSiC) are reported. The RIF experiments were conducted using a Vicker’s microhardness tester at various loads in the range 1–20 N. Subsequently, the gradual evolution of the damage was characterized using an optical microscope in conjunction with the image analysing technique. The materials were classified in the order of the decreasing resistance against repeated indentation fatigue at the highest applied load of 20 N. It was further shown that there was a strong influence of grain size on the development of resistance against repeated indentation fatigue on the same spot. Finally, the poor performance of the sintered silicon carbide was found out to be linked to its previous thermal history.     

Gas permeability behavior of mullite-bonded porous silicon carbide ceramics

An apparatus was developed to evaluate the gas permeability behavior of mullite (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₂)-bonded porous silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics at room temperature. The permeability was calculated according to Forchheimer’s equation for the compressible gas. It was found that the sintering temperature and graphite (pore former) addition during the fabrication of the porous ceramics affect the permeability extremely by varying the texture of porous ceramics such as the open porosity, pore size distribution and tortuosity of pore channels. The increased sintering temperature results in a decreased Darcian (viscous) permeability but an increased non-Darcian (inertial) permeability. However, more graphite additions lead to the larger Darcian and non-Darcian permeability.     

Microstructure stability of fine-grained silicon carbide ceramics during annealing

Fine-grained silicon carbide ceramics with an average grain size of 140 nm or smaller were prepared by low-temperature hot-pressing of very fine -SiC powders using Al₂O₃-Y₂O₃-CaO (AYC) or Y-Mg-Si-Al-O-N glass (ON) as sintering additives. The microstructure stability of the resulting fine-grained SiC ceramics was investigated by annealing at 1850°C and by evaluating quantitatively the grain growth behavior using image analysis. The phase transformation of SiC in AYC-SiC was responsible for the accelerated abnormal grain growth of platelet-shaped grains. In contrast, the phase transformation in ON-SiC was suppressed, which resulted in a very stable microstructure.     

Processing, properties and arc jet oxidation of hafnium diboride/silicon carbide ultra high temperature ceramics

The processing and properties of HfB₂-20 vol%SiC ultra high temperature ceramics were examined. Dense billets were fabricated by hot-pressing raw powders in a graphite element furnace for 1 h at 2200°C. Specimens were then tested for hardness, mechanical strength, thermal properties and oxidation resistance in a simulated re-entry environment. Thermal conductivity of the current materials was found to be less than previous work had determined while the strength was greater. Oxidation testing of two flat-face models was conducted, at two conditions, for two 10-min durations each. It was concluded that passive oxidation of SiC plays a role in determining the steady-state surface temperatures below 1700°C. Above 1700°C, temperatures are controlled by the properties of a thick HfO₂ layer and active oxidation of the SiC phase.     

碳化硅陶瓷的活化烧结与烧结助剂

综述了作为碳化硅陶瓷烧结助剂的热力学条件及液相烧结的有效条件,介绍了碳化硅陶瓷烧结助剂的研究进展.     

Cryogenic optical testing of sandwich-type silicon carbide mirrors

The experimental cryogenic performance of 160-mm-diameter silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors, one of which, a 700-mm-diameter mirror, is to be used as a primary mirror of the Japanese Infrared Astronomical Satellite ASTRO-F, is described. The mirrors are made from a sandwich-type SiC material that comprises a light porous core and a dense chemical-vapor-deposited coat of SiC. Three mirrors were manufactured consecutively, and changes in their surface contours related to temperature were measured with an interferometer when the mirrors were placed in a liquid-helium cryostat. Owing to significant improvements in manufacturing, the third SiC mirror showed only slight deformation as the temperature decreased from 300 to 6 K, which indicates high thermal strain homogeneity for a well-controlled sandwich-type SiC mirror.     

氮掺杂导电碳化硅陶瓷研究进展EI北大核心CSCD

可电火花加工的导电碳化硅(SiC)陶瓷不仅可以克服传统高电阻率SiC陶瓷难加工的突出缺点,而且能够保留传统高电阻率SiC陶瓷的其他优异性能,在结构陶瓷领域取代传统的高电阻率SiC陶瓷具有突出优势。本文阐述了粉末烧结制备氮掺杂导电SiC陶瓷的原理,归纳总结分析了其粉末烧结制备方法、烧结助剂的种类及其所获得SiC陶瓷的热电和力学性能。同时,探讨了SiC陶瓷的电性能影响因素,为调控SiC陶瓷的电性能提供了参考依据。最后,指出了氮掺杂导电SiC陶瓷面临的主要挑战,在未来研究中,应聚焦于发展新烧结技术与烧结添加剂体系以及澄清电性能调控机制,为制备电阻率可控的高性能导电SiC陶瓷奠定技术基础。     

Tension and flexural strength of silicon carbide fibre-reinforced glass ceramics

The use of silicon carbide-type fibres to reinforce lithium aluminosilicate glass ceramics results in composites with exceptional levels of strength and toughness. It is demonstrated that composite strength and stress-strain behaviour depend onin situ fibre strength, matrix composition, test technique and atmosphere of test. Both linear and non-linear tensile stress-strain curves are obtained with ultimate strengths at 22° C approaching 700 MPa and failure strains of 1%. Flexure tests performed at up to 1000° C in air are compared with data obtained in argon to demonstrate a significant dependence of strength and failure mode on test atmosphere. Finally, glass ceramic matrix composite performance is compared with a silicon carbide fibre-reinforced epoxy system to demonstrate the importance of matrix failure strain on strength and stress-strain behaviour.     

Thermal conductivity of silicon carbide ceramics doped with beryllium oxide

The thermal conductivity of silicon carbide ceramics containing up to 3 wt % BeO was measured in the temperature range 300–1300 K. The effective thermal conductivity was found to rise notably with increasing BeO content in the range 1.3–1.5 wt % BeO and to decrease exponentially with increasing porosity.