Enhanced electromagnetic microwave absorption of Fe/C/SiCN composite ceramics targeting in integrated structure and function

The Fe/C/SiCN composite ceramics were synthesized by polymer-derived method to obtain the integration of structure and functions. The electromagnetic waves (EMW) absorption properties at X and Ku bands were investigated. The addition of nano-sized Fe particles improved the magnetic loss and impedance matching, and the carbon nanotubes generated by the iron in-situ catalysis increased the internal relaxation polarization and interfacial polarization, which together improved the EMW absorption properties significantly. In particular, the Fe/C/SiCN-9 showed the optimum reflection loss (RL) of ?31.06 dB at 10.03 GHz with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < ?10 dB) of 3.03 GHz at 2.51 mm, indicating the excellent EMW absorption properties of Fe/C/SiCN composite ceramics.     

Preparation of three-dimensional ordered macroporous SiCN ceramic using sacrificing template method

Three-dimensional (3D) long range well ordered macroporous SiCN ceramics were prepared by infiltrating sacrificial colloidal silica templates with the low molecular weight preceramic polymer, polysilazane. This was followed by a thermal curing step, pyrolysis at 1250 °C in a N₂ atmosphere, and finally the removal of the templates by etching with dilute HF. The produced macroporous SiCN ceramics showed high BET surface areas (pore volume) in the range 455 m²/g (0.31 cm³/g)–250 m²/g (0.16 cm³/g) with the pore sizes of 98–578 nm, which could be tailored by controlling the sizes of the sacrificial silica spheres in the range 112–650 nm. The sphere-inversed macropores were interconnected by 50 ± 30 nm windows and 3–5 nm mesopores embedded in the porous SiCN ceramic frameworks, which resulted in a trimodal pore size distribution. The surface of the achieved porous SiCN ceramic was then modified by Pt–Ru nanoparticle depositing under mild chemical conditions.     

Preparation of ordered mesoporous SiCN ceramics with large surface area and high thermal stability

For the first time, highly ordered two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) mesoporous SiCN ceramics with high surface area and high thermal stability were prepared by nanocasting a preceramic polymer solution into mesoporous carbon templates, CMK-3 and CMK-8, respectively. As a negative replica of CMK-3 carbon, the obtained mesoporous SiCN ceramic possessed an ordered 2-D hexagonal mesostructure, which is similar to the structure of SBA-15 silica except for the reduced dimensions. An ordered 3-D cubic mesoporous SiCN ceramic was also fabricated using CMK-8 as a template. The wall of the mesoporous SiCN replicas consisted of an amorphous SiCN ceramic phase, which possessed high thermal stability at high temperature up to 1000 °C. N₂-sorption isotherms revealed that these ordered mesoporous SiCN ceramics have high BET surface areas (up to 472 m² g⁻¹) and narrow pore-size distributions, which was preserved even after a re-treatment at 1000 °C in air. The use of carbon template played an important role in the preparation of mesoporous SiCN replicas and enhanced the thermal stability of the SiCN products. It is expected that many other types of ordered mesoporous ceramics can be prepared from nanoporous carbon by nanocasting method.     

Evaluation of mechanical properties of a dense SiC/SiCN composite produced via PIP process

The material behavior of Polymer Infiltration and Pyrolysis based SiC/SiCN composites is studied and the characteristic thermal and mechanical properties in on- (0/90 °) and off-axis (±45 °) direction are summarized. The tensile properties are determined at room temperature and 1300 °C. Based on the ratio of Young’s modulus and strength between on- and off-axis loading, a new approach for the classification of Weak Matrix Composites (WMC) and Weak Interface Composites (WIC) is proposed, which seems to be reasonable for various CMCs. Even without fibre coating mechanical behavior of SiC/SiCN is similar to that of WIC. In order to explain this, a microstructure model is developed and confirmed by analysis of fracture surface. The effect of temperature on the tensile properties is investigated through analysis of residual thermal stresses. Even though at 1300 °C the strength is slightly lower, the fracture strain increased significantly from RT to 1300 °C.     

Processing and 3D printing of SiCN polymer-derived ceramics

Preceramic polymer resins are attractive for the 3D printing of net-shaped ceramic components. Recently various processes have been demonstrated for 3D printing of polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs). Ultimately in these processes, the process outcomes strongly depend on the process parameters. In particular, for PDCs the ceramic density, and ceramic yield are affected by the catalyst concentration and cross-linking duration. Here, we use thermal analysis and FTIR to quantify the interrelation of the process parameters on the process outcome for polysilazanes and demonstrate 3D printing of PDC components based on the best-identified process parameters. The results of this work can be used as guidelines for future additive manufacturing of PDCs.     

Environment-friendly deposition of SiCN interlayer for reinforcing carbon fibers in C/SiC composites

Several C/SiC composites with no interlayer, single pyrocarbon (PyC) interlayer and PyC/SiCN interlayer were fabricated by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis process. The microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The results verified that SiCN interlayer was formed on carbon fibers. Both bulk density and flexural stress of C/SiC composite with PyC/SiCN interlayer were slightly higher than composite fabricated with single PyC interlayer. When the weight fraction of SiCN interlayer in the composite was about 18 wt%, the flexural stress of the composite was enhanced to 416 MPa from 352 MPa for composite with single PyC interlayer. The observations of pulled-out fibers on fracture surfaces revealed non-catastrophic fracture features for PyC/SiCN deposited C/SiC composite.     

Formation of a FexSiyCz thin layer via PCV deposition of SiCN on a hot steel surface

In this work, it has been established that on steel plates heated to 600 °C, an Fe_xSi_yC_z layer forms during plasma chemical vapor deposition of SiCN ceramics. As a plasma-forming agent, hexamethyldisilazane was used in the deposition, from which a SiCN product was formed. The deposited ceramic film is heterogeneous and consists of regions where predominantly FeSi₂ or Fe_xSi_yC_z is present. The thickness of the film is~0.8 μm. An investigation of the degradation of the ceramic film in tap water and a 3% aqueous NaCl solution at 26 and 60 °C demonstrated that FeSi₂ corrodes first, and then Fe_xSi_yC_z corrodes. The process was also analyzed using electrochemical techniques.     

Lithium containing silazanes as precursors for SiCN:Li ceramics—A potential material for electrochemical applications

Lithium containing silicon carbonitride ceramics (SiCN:Li) were synthesized via precursor-to-ceramic-transformation of Li-containing (poly)silazanes. The precursors were obtained by lithiation of the model compound 2,4,6-trimethyl-2,4,6-trivinylcyclotrisilazane and of a commercial poly(organosilazane) VL20^® with n-butyllithium in different molar ratios. According to Raman spectroscopic measurements, lithiation takes place at the NH groups of the molecular organosilazane structure. If the amount of n-BuLi exceeds the stoichiometric amount of NH groups, addition of n-BuLi at the vinyl groups (attached as substituents at the Si atoms of the silazane) occurs. Thermal analysis coupled with in situ mass spectrometry evidenced the loss of methane and hydrogen as the main gaseous by-products formed during the precursor-to-ceramic-transformation. The ceramization process is completed at 1100 °C in argon and yielded Li-containing silicon carbonitride, SiCN:Li. X-ray powder diffraction revealed that the resulting SiCN:Li ceramics were basically amorphous and contained LiSi₂N₃ as a crystalline phase with increasing amount of Li. Possible applications of the new SiCN:Li ceramics are seen in the field of Li-ion batteries as alternative anode or solid electrolyte material.     

A low cost n-SiCN/p-SiCN homojunction for high temperature and high gain ultraviolet detecting applications

A novel n-SiCN/p-SiCN homojunction was developed on Si substrate for low cost and high temperature ultraviolet (UV) detecting applications. The current ratio of the junction under −5 V bias, with and without irradiation of 254 nm UV light are 1940 and 96.3, at room temperature and 175 °C, respectively. Compared to the reported UV detectors with material of 4H-SiC or β-SiC, the developed n-SiCN/p-SiCN homojunction has better current ratio in both room and elevated temperature.     

An effect of hydrogenation on the photoemission of amorphous SiCN films

The structure, chemical bonding and photoemission of amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbonitride (a-SiCN:H) films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using hexamethyldisilazane as a main precursor at different hydrogen flow rates are studied. Film properties are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), absorption optical spectra and photoluminescence (PL). The photoluminescence spectra were presented by four photoemission bands centered at 441–451, 489–496, 530–535 and 577–601 (in nm). To explain structural and photoluminescence properties of the deposited films, first-principles molecular dynamics simulations of un-hydrogenated and hydrogenated silicon carbonitride samples were carried out. Based on experimental and theoretical results a possible explanation of the photoemission of the deposited films and its evolution with increasing hydrogen flow rate was done.