Effect of preparation method on the mechanism for oxidation of C/C-BN composites

C/C-BN composites and C_f/BN/PyC composites exhibiting different structures for pyrolytic carbon (PyC) and boron nitride (BN) were studied comparatively to determine their oxidation behavior. This study used five types of samples. Porous C/C composites were modified with silane coupling agents (APS) and then fully impregnated in water-based slurry of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN); the resulting C/C-BN preforms were densified by depositing PyC by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), resulting in three types of C/C-BN composites. The other two C_f/BN/PyC composites were obtained by depositing a BN interphase and PyC in carbon fiber preforms by CVI; one was treated with heat, and the other was not. This study was focused on determining how the PyC deposition mechanism, morphology and pore structure were affected by the method of BN introduction. In the 600–900 °C temperature range, the C_f/BN/PyC composites and C/C composites underwent oxidation via a mixed diffusion/reaction mode. The C/C-BN composites had a different pore structure due to the formation of nodules comprising h-BN particles; both interfacial debonding and cracking were reduced, resulting in higher resistance to gas diffusion, lower oxidation rate and larger activation energy (Ea) in the temperature range 600–800 °C. In addition, the mechanism for oxidation of C/C-BN composites gradually exhibited diffusion control at 800–900 °C because the formation of h-BN oxidation products healed the defects. The oxidation mechanism was more dependent on pore structure than on BN structure or content.