Novel ceramic matrix composites with tungsten and molybdenum fiber reinforcement

Ceramic matrix composites usually utilize carbon or ceramic fibers as reinforcements. However, such fibers often expose a low ductility during failure. In this work, we follow the idea of a reinforcement concept of a ceramic matrix reinforced by refractory metal fibers to reach pseudo ductile behavior during failure. Tungsten and molybdenum fibers were chosen as reinforcement in SiCN ceramic matrix composites manufactured by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis process. The composites were investigated with respect to microstructure, flexural- and tensile strength. The single fiber strengths for both tungsten and molybdenum were investigated and compared to the strength of the composites. Tensile strengths of 206 and 156 MPa as well as bending strengths of 427 and 312 MPa were achieved for W/SiCN and Mo/SiCN composites, respectively. The W fiber became brittle across the entire cross section, while the Mo fiber showed a superficial, brittle reaction zone but kept ductile on the inside.     

碳含量对碳氮化硅薄膜化学结构和力学性能的影响

利用微波电子回旋共振（MW-ECR）等离子体增强非平衡磁控溅射法制备了碳氮化硅（SiCN）薄膜。研究结果表明，碳含量对薄膜化学结构、力学性能有很大影响。傅里叶变换红外光谱（FT-IR）和X射线光电子能谱（XPS）表征显示，随着碳靶溅射偏压由-450V提高到-650V，薄膜中碳含量由19．0％增加到27．1％，sp^3C-N键含量增多，薄膜生长速率由3．83nm／min提高到5．83nm／min，硬度在-600V时达到最大值25．36GPa。上述结果表明，提高碳靶溅射偏压，可以提高薄膜含碳量，得到性能较好的SiCN薄膜。     

High-temperature microstructural evolution of SiCN fibers derived from polycarbosilane with different C/N ratios

Research into the high-temperature microstructural evolution of SiCN ceramic fibers is important for the aerospace application of advanced ceramic matrix composites in harsh environments. In this work, we studied the microstructural evolution of SiCN fibers with different C/N ratios that derived from polycarbosilane fibers at the annealing temperature range of 1400∼1600 °C. These results showed that the phase separation of SiC_xN_y phase and the two-dimension grain growth process of free carbon nanoclusters could be processed at the researched temperature range. As the annealing temperature increased to 1600 °C, the crystallization of amorphous SiC and Si₃N₄ could be detected. SEM and Raman analysis showed that the decomposition and carbothermal reduction of the Si₃N₄ phase at high temperatures played primary roles in contributing to the fiber strength degradation. Thus, a higher C/N ratio, which is beneficial for inhibiting the decomposition of amorphous Si₃N₄, helps SiCN fibers retain high tensile strength at high temperatures.     

Effect of acrylic acid additive on electric conductivity of polymer-derived amorphous silicon carbonitride

The effect of acrylic acid additive on the electric conductivity of amorphous SiCN derived from polymeric precursor was studied. The conductivity showed to follow the Arrhenius dependence on pyrolysis temperature, but with much smaller activation energy, as compared to the unmodified SiCN. Structural analysis using Raman and XPS revealed that the size of the free-carbon clusters within the AC-modified SiCN changed with pyrolysis temperature, but the sp²-to-sp³ ratio remained almost the same. The reason for the effect of AC on the carbon cluster was speculated. The mechanisms governing the conductivity behavior of the AC-modified SiCN were discussed.     

Design and fabrication of InxGa1 − xN/GaN solar cells with a multiple-quantum-well structure on SiCN/Si(111) substrates

The fabrication and characterization of In_xGa_1 − xN/GaN-based solar cells that use In_xGa_1 − xN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and a SiCN/Si(111) substrate are reported. Solar cell operation with a low dark current density (J_d), a high open-circuit voltage (V_oc), a high short-circuit current density (J_sc), and a high fill factor (FF) is demonstrated. It was found that the proposed device and fabrication technology are applicable to the realization of solar cells with a low J_d of 2.14 to 8.88 μA/cm², a high V_oc of 2.72 to 2.92 V, a high J_sc of 2.72 to 2.97 mA/cm², and a high FF of 61.51 to 74.89%. The device performance with various quantum-well configurations was investigated under an air mass 1.5 global solar spectrum. A high photovoltaic efficiency of 5.95% in the MQW sample over the p-i-n sample was observed.     

C2H2流量对SiCN薄膜结构及阻挡性能的影响

采用C2H2和N2作为反应气体、多晶Si作为靶材,利用射频磁控溅射系统沉积了SiCN薄膜。利用傅里叶红外光谱仪、X射线衍射仪、四探针测试仪等研究了C2H2流量对薄膜结构、介电常数以及阻挡性能的影响。结果表明,薄膜为非晶结构,1000℃退火下未出现结晶,稳定性很好;随着C2H2流量的增大,薄膜表面颗粒呈现增大趋势;C原子取代Si原子占据薄膜中的网络位置,薄膜形成了以C-N键为主的网络结构;制得的SiCN薄膜介电常数在4.2~5.8之间,C,N含量以及薄膜结构是影响介电性能的关键因素,高温使得Cu穿过薄膜中的缺陷与Si发生互扩散是薄膜阻挡性能失效的主要原因。     

Heteroepitaxial silicon-carbide nitride films with different carbon sources on silicon substrates prepared by rapid-thermal chemical-vapor deposition

Cubic crystalline silicon-carbon nitride (Si_1−x−yC_xN_y) films have been grown successfully using various carbon sources by rapid-thermal chemical-vapor deposition (RTCVD). The characteristics of the Si_1−x−yC_xN_y films grown with SiH₃CH₃, C₂H₄, and C₃H₈ are examined and compared by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) patterns. The XPS spectra show that the differences of chemical composition and chemical-bonding state are co-related to the C bonding type of the different carbon source. The SEM images and TEM analysis indicate that the better Si_1−x−yC_xN_y film can be obtained using C₃H₈ gas as the carbon source. In addition, correlations between the growing stages to the microstructure of the cubic-crystalline Si_1−x−yC_xN_y films have been illustrated in detail.     

Processing and mechanical performance of 3D Cf/SiCN composites prepared by polymer impregnation and pyrolysis

The processing of 3D carbon fiber reinforced SiCN ceramic matrix composites prepared by polymer impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) route was improved, and factors that determined the mechanical performance of the resulting composites were discussed. 3D C_f/SiCN composites with a relative density of ∼81% and uniform microstructure were obtained after 6 PIP cycles. The optimum bending strength, Young's modulus and fracture toughness of the composites were 75.2 MPa, 66.3 GPa and 1.65 MPa m^1/2, respectively. The residual strength retention rate of the as-pyrolyzed composites was 93.3% after thermal shock test at ΔT = 780 °C. It further degraded to 14.6% when the thermal shock temperature difference reached to 1180 °C. The bending strength of the composites was 35.6 MPa after annealing at 1000 °C in static air. The deterioration of the bending strength should be attributed to the strength degradation of carbon fibers and decomposition of interfacial structure.