New route to synthesize preceramic polymers for zirconium carbide

A preceramic polymer, polyzirconosaal (PZSA), was synthesized by the ligand-exchange reaction between polyzirconoxane (PZO) and salicyl alcohol (SA). The precursor was air-stable and exhibited excellent solubility and rheology. These properties are useful for the processing of C/C–ZrC composites via precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) process. The polymer to ceramic conversion was investigated by TG, XRD and TEM. Nanosized ZrC was formed by pyrolysis of this precursor at 1300 °C in argon with ceramic yield of 57.8%.