Fabrication and crack propagation behaviour of laminated ZrC-SiC composites

Laminated ZrC-SiC composites were fabricated by a tape-casting process and vacuum hot-pressing. The microstructures, fracture behaviour, and crack propagation paths of the resulting composites were studied. The laminated ZrC-SiC composite had a bending strength of 167 MPa and exhibited non-brittle failure behaviour due to the propagation and deflection of cracks. The observed crack propagation path in the ZrC-SiC laminated composites indicated that crack deflection and crack termination were observed during the fracture process. The crack tip decreased as the crack traversed through each layer.