Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1476608 Journal of the European Ceramic Society 2009 7 Pages PDF
Abstract

ZrB2–SiC composites were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at temperatures of 1800–2100 °C for 180–300 s under a pressure of 20 MPa and at higher temperatures of above 2100 °C without a holding time under 10 MPa. Densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrB2–SiC composites were investigated. Fully dense ZrB2–SiC composites containing 20–60 mass% SiC with a relative density of more than 99% were obtained at 2000 and 2100 °C for 180 s. Below 2120 °C, microstructures consisted of equiaxed ZrB2 grains with a size of 2–5 μm and α-SiC grains with a size of 2–4 μm. Morphological change from equiaxed to elongated α-SiC grains was observed at higher temperatures. Vickers hardness of ZrB2–SiC composites increased with increasing sintering temperature and SiC content up to 60 mass%, and ZrB2–SiC composite containing 60 mass% SiC sintered at 2100 °C for 180 s had the highest value of 26.8 GPa. The highest fracture toughness was observed for ZrB2–SiC composites containing 50 mass% SiC independent of sintering temperatures.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Materials Science Ceramics and Composites
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