Preparation and properties of a novel precursor-derived Zr-C-B-N composite ceramic via zirconocene and borazine

A novel preceramic polymer polyzirconocenyborazane (PZCBN) was synthesized by the polymerization of Bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium divinyl and borazine, introducing Zr, B, C, N together. The formation and concentration of elements Zr, C, B, N in the precursor and ceramic were detected through FTIR NMR, XRD, SEM and TEM. From the analysis, the Cp2Zr(CH˭CH2)2 and borazine linked together via the addition reaction between C˭C and B-H. And after pyrolysis at 1200 °C, the precursor turned to ZrC/ZrB2/BN composite ceramics, with a yield of 52 wt%. EDX resulted showed that the elements were well dispersed in the ceramics. According to SEM and TEM, the ceramic had a relatively dense structure with nano crystalline areas of ZrC embedded in the amorphous Zr-C-B-N matrix. TGA in air demonstrated that the ceramic had a favorable property on oxidation resistance.