A Study on Reaction Bonded Ceramics Fabricated by Silicon Infiltration to B₄C Preforms

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.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 724)
• Pages: 343-346
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.724.343
• Online since: June 2012
• Authors: Rong Zhen Liu, Qing Wen Duan, Wen Wei Gu, Hai Yun Jin, Shao Chun Xu, Jian Feng Yang
• Keywords: B₄C, Ceramic, Mechanical Property, Silicon Infiltration

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