Papers by Author: Bo Wang

Abstract: The method of high temperature physical vapor transport (HTPVT) is an available approach to prepare silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics with high density and high purity. In the present work, α-SiC (6H-SiC) and β-SiC (3C-SiC) powders were used as starting materials respectively to fabricate SiC ceramics with HTPVT process, and the effects of starting materials on nucleation, density, microstructure and mechanical properties of SiC ceramics were investigated. It showed that at high temperature, the decomposition rate of β-SiC was higher than that of α-SiC, and at the initial nucleation stage, the average grain size of SiC crystal obtained with β-SiC starting materials was smaller than that with α-SiC starting materials, because higher vapour pressure of gas phase which decomposed by β-SiC starting materials facilitated nucleation and growth of SiC grains. Density of the resulted SiC ceramics using α-SiC and β-SiC as starting materials was 3.16 g·cm-3 and 3.17 g·cm^-3, indicating close values, while, using β-SiC as the starting materials, the grain size was smaller, consequently, the flexure strength was higher. Increasing growth temperature from 2200°C to 2300°C, the densities and the flexure strength of the SiC ceramics using either α-SiC or β-SiC were decreased.

Abstract: A novel method for preparing porous silicon carbide ceramics with high porosity had been developed by recrystallization of green bodies composed of α-SiC, β-SiC, remnant silicon and incompletely-reacted carbon. Fine microstructure and uniform pore structure of the resultant porous silicon carbide ceramics was obtained. The green bodies of porous ceramics were prepared by the precursor powder which contained α-SiC, carbon black and silicon powder. The precursor powder was sintered at 1600°C under Vacuum circumstance to obtain the green bodies; the sintering process is same with the reaction sintering silicon carbide. Then the green bodies were sintered to 2300°C for half an hour to recrystallization. The incompletely-reacted carbon was fully reacted with silicon. And the remnant silicon was excluded during the recrystallization process to create porous structures. The influence of composition of the precursor powder and the fabrication process (the moulding pressure) on the microstructure of sintering bodies was analyzed. X-ray diffractometry demonstrated the transformation of β-SiC to α-SiC during the recrystallization process. The density and the porosity of this material was 1.027g/cm3 and 67% respectively.

Abstract: In this paper, porous Si3N4 ceramics were fabricated by carbothermal reduction between carbon black and diatomite. Diatomite is a siliceous, sedimentary rock consisting principally of the fossilized skeletal remains of diatom, a unicellular aquatic plant related to the algae. The main ingredient of diatomite is the amorphous active silicon dioxide. The influence of diatomite particle size on the microstructure of sintering bodies was analyzed. XRD analysis demonstrated the formation of Si3N4 except for minor of glass phase. SEM analysis showed that the resultant porous β-Si3N4 ceramics occupied fine microstructure and uniform pore structure.

Abstract: Dense multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) reinforced barium aluminosilicate (BAS)–silicon nitride (Si3N4) composites were fabricated by hot-pressing sintering. The effect of MWNTs on the microstructure, compositional investigations, as well as mechanical characterization of the composites was investigated. The results show that MWNTs were preserved in the composites after sintering and present good adherence to matrix grains. The incorporation of 3% 1-2μm MWNTs effectively improved the fracture toughness of the BAS/Si3N4 composites from 8.02 to 8.6 MPa•m1/2.

Abstract: The barium aluminum silicate-silicon nitride (BAS-Si3N4) matrix-ceramic composite was fabricated using pressureless sintering, at temperatures ranging from 1720°C, which is below the melting point of BAS, to 1850°C. The effect of processing conditions on sinterability, crystalline structure, microstructure and mechanical properties was evaluated. It was demonstrated the BAS glass-ceramic served as an effective liquid-phase-sintering aid, to attain high densities and completed the α-Si3N4–β-Si3N4 phase transformation, and remained as a structural matrix that was reinforced by the rod-like β-Si3N4 grains. Si3N4 grains nucleated and grow in random directions in an almost completely crystallized matrix of hexacelsian BAS. High flexural strength (665±40 MPa) and fracture toughness (7.74 MPa•m1/2) could be obtained from 30wt%BAS-70wt%Si3N4 samples that have been sintered at 1800°C for 120 min with a fine-grained microstructure.

Abstract: In this paper, cordierite-mullite multiphase ceramics material was prepared using cordierite powder, mullite particles, fused silica, magnesia and alumina as main starting material. Effects of addition of 2%~10% SiC on the thermal expansion, flexural strength and thermal shock resistance were studied, and the fracture surface morphology was observed with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results showed that the multiphase ceramics material’s thermal expansion coefficient and flexural strength had little change. The thermal shock resistance of cordierite-mullite multiphase ceramics material varied as increasing-decreasing with the increase of SiC content, when the content of SiC was as high as 4%, the highest conservation rate of the flexural strength after 1100°C~water(3 times) was 72.08%, and the thermal shock resistance of cordierite-mullite multiphase ceramics material was superior.