Papers by Keyword: Silicon Infiltration

Abstract: Silicon was infiltrated into B₄C preforms to fabricate B₄C based composites ceramics at 1600 °C under vacuum circumstance. In this paper, silicon infiltration process was discussed by theoretical calculation. The volume expansion caused by reactions between silicon and boron carbide was about 89.1% from the calculation. In our study, the maximum density of B₄C preform for the infiltration of silicon was about 1.5g/cm³ which was larger than theoretical result. The results of mechanical behavior showed that B₄C based composites had excellent mechanical properties with a density lower than 2.6g/cm³, Vickers-hardness of this material was 27.2GPa, and this material showed a flexural strength of 349MPa and fracture toughness of 3.8 MPa*m^1/2.

Abstract: SiC/C (graphite) composite ceramics with 20vol% flake graphite were fabricated by Plasma Activated Sintering (PAS) firstly; the composites treated by silicon infiltration in surface were oxidized from 800oC to 1500oC. Effect of silicon infiltration on the oxidation resistance of SiC/C (graphite) composites was characterized by TG/DTA, SEM and XRD. The results show that the graphite in surface of composites reacted with silicon to form a dense SiC film about 30μm-in-thickness. The oxidation resistance temperature was increased from 600oC to 1300oC. Below 1300oC, the surface of composites by silicon filtration was oxidized to form a dense continuous oxide film to hider the oxidation of graphite in matrix. At 1500oC, the surface oxide film was heavy damaged, and many micropores were produced; inner graphite was oxidized above 1300oC again.

Abstract: A new processing route for porous b-Si3N4 –ceramics suitable as substrates for Si3N4 functionally graded materials, FGM`s with an environmental barrier coating, EBC, is described. Such materials could be useful for operation at temperatures up to 1650°C in combustion engines, where oxidation and corrosion under hydrothermal conditions cause severe damage of known dense Si3N4-ceramics. The new process is based on microwave sintering of a-Si3N4–Yb-silicate green parts to obtain up to 60% open porous b-Si3N4 pre-forms equilibrated at high temperature with respect to the RE-silicate content, followed by Si-melt infiltration. A sufficient wetting by molten silicon is achieved by coating the inner surface of the porous pre-form with amorphous carbon prior to infiltration. The influence of different green processing parameters and different heating methods - microwave heating and conventional heating – on the porosity of the pre-form is reported. Infiltration is performed by microwave heating of the carbon coated pre-forms, whereas for nitridation both heating processes are combined.