Song He Meng

Characteristics and Mechanisms of Dynamic Oxidation for ZrB2-SiC Based UHTC

The present study focuses on the dynamic oxidation resistance of five representative ZrB2-SiC based ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs): ZrB2-SiC, ZrB2-SiC-Si3N4, ZrB2-SiC-TiB2, ZrB2-SiCHfB2 and ZrB2-SiC-ZrC using oxyacetylene torch and arc jet testing. The effects of second phase incorporation (Si3N4, TiB2, HfB2, ZrC) on oxidation resistance were compared and analyzed. The mechanism of oxidation based on experimental results and thermodynamic calculations were explored. Some approaches to improvement of oxidation resistance and future directions of UHTC are also presented.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of SiC Whisker-Reinforced ZrB2 Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic

SiC whisker-reinforced ZrB2 matrix ultra-high temperature ceramic were prepared at 2000°C for 1 h under 30MPa by hot pressing and the effects of whisker on flexural strength and fracture toughness of the composites was examined. The flexural strength and fracture toughness are 510±25MPa and 4.05±0.20MPa⋅m1/2 at room temperature, respectively. Comparing with the SiC particles-reinforced ZrB2 ceramic, no significant increase in both strength and toughness was observed. The microstructure of the composite showed that the SiC whisker was destroyed because the SiC whisker degraded due to rapid atom diffusivity at high temperature. The results suggested that some related parameters such as the lower hot-pressing temperature, a short sintering time should be controlled in order to obtain SiC whiskerreinforced ZrB2 composite with high properties.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of ZrB2-Based Ceramics

Two ZrB2-based composites were fabricated by hot-pressing with vacuum. ZrB2+20vol%SiC and ZrB2+20vol%SiC+8vol%TiB2 were selected as the starting compositions. The microstructures and phase constitutions of the composites were investigated and compared to these of monolithic ZrB2 material. For the ZrB2-based composites, with the addition of SiC particles, the excessive growth of ZrB2 materials is restricted and grain structure is refined. Meanwhile the fracture modes are changed, namely, from transgranular to mixed inter/transgranular. Strengthening mechanism is grain refining and the toughening mechanism is crack deflection, crack branching and grain refining. The role of TiB2 as an addition to the ZrB2 matrix was also examined and discussed.

Study on ZrC-20vol.%SiCw Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramics by Hot Pressing

The ZrC-20vol.%SiCw ultrahigh temperature ceramics with relative density of 99.2% can be prepared by hot pressing at 1900 oC and 30MPa for 60 min. The mechanical properties and microstructure of the composite were studied. The flexural strength and fracture toughness reaches up to 626.17MPa, 5.03 MPa•m1/2, respectively. SEM analysis shows the microstructure of the ZrC-20vol.%SiCw is homogeneous and SiC whiskers are uniformly distributed around the ZrC grains, which inhibit the ZrC grain growth during sintering. The fracture surface of ZrC-20vol.%SiCw reveals a mixture of intergranular and transgranular failure, and SiC whiskers play a remarkable role in improving the strength and toughness of ZrC matrix. The toughening mechanism of the composite is mainly fine-grain strengthening and whisker pull-out.

Properties and Microstructure of an HfB2-HfC-SiC Ultra High Temperature Ceramics

HfB2-HfC-SiC ultrahigh temperature ceramics (UHTCs) were prepared and characterized in this paper. It is showed that the densities of the HfB2-HfC-SiC reach 98.5% of the theory density. The room temperature compressive properties of the HfB2-HfC-SiC are good, while those at high temperature decrease rapidly. The volume expansion ratio monotonously increases (up to 2.35% at 2300°C) with increasing temperature. Furthermore, with increasing temperature, the average linear expansion coefficient hardly changes, while the instant linear expansion coefficient decreases first, and followed by an increase. The minimum value of the instant linear expansion coefficient is 5.65×10-6/K at 900°C and that of the mean linear expansion coefficient is 7.39×10-6/K at 1340°C. HfB2-HfC-SiC were burned with the plasma arc heater. After 8-second ablation, part of the SiC particles melted and spurted from the composites, and holes appeared.

Preparation and Characteristics of ZrO2/ZrW2O8 Composites with Low Thermal Expansion

The ZrO2/ZrW2O8 ceramic matrix composites have been prepared by the two different processes: (1) ZrO2 and ZrW2O8 powders were mixed directly as raw material, then compacted by cold isostatic pressing under 200MPa, and finally, the ceramic matrix composites with low thermal expansion can be prepared by use of heat-pressing sintering or atmospheric sintering at temperature 1215oC. (2) ZrO2 (with excess mass) and WO3 powers were mixed as raw material, then compacted by cold isostatic pressing under 200MPa, and finally, the ZrO2/ZrW2O8 ceramic matrix composites can be made by use of heat-pressing sintering or atmospheric sintering at temperature 1215 oC after ZrW2O8 were synthesized by in-situ reaction of ZrO2 and WO3 powders at the same temperature. The microstructure, density, ZrW2O8 decomposition degree and the thermal expansion coefficient were compared among the sintered samples fabricated by the above two different methods, and affected by the different process parameters. The results show that the ceramic matrix composites with low thermal expansion are really composed of ZrO2, ZrW2O8 and WO3, and their relative densities are all more than 95%. Compared with the composites prepared by in-situ reaction, the densities, ZrW2O8 decomposition degree and the thermal expansion coefficient of the composites made by direct mixing are higher, less and smaller, respectively.

Effect of the Cooling Ways on the Properties and Microstructure of ZrO2/ZrW2O8 Ceramic Composites

ZrO2 has been widely used due to its good physical and chemical properties and the ZrO2/ZrW2O8 ceramic composites with adjustable thermal expansion coefficient can be prepared by mixing and sintering the ZrO2 and ZrW2O8 powders. In this paper, the ZrO2/ZrW2O8 ceramic composites have been prepared by mixing, cold isostatic pressing and atmospheric sintering, and then being cooled in air or in water. We focus on the effect of the cooling ways on the properties and microstructure of the ZrO2/ZrW2O8 ceramic composites. The results show that the relative density of all samples is more than 98%. For the in-situ method, the density and flexural strength of the samples cooled in air and in water are 98.1% and 98.4%, 112.96MPa and 45.23MPa, respectively. The ZrW2O8 content and thermal expansion coefficient of the samples cooled in the air are less and higher than those in the water, respectively. For the direct mixture method, the density and flexural strength of the samples cooled in air and in water are 98.9% and 99.3%, 195.99MPa and 58.71MPa, respectively. For the four groups of the composite samples, they behave better mechanical properties after cooled in air, and lower thermal expansion coefficients after cooled in water.

Theoretical Calculation of Crystal Cohesive Energy of (ZrTi)B2 Solid-Solutions

The two kinds of the Ti-rich (Ti0.8Zr0.2)B2 and Zr-rich (Zr0.8Ti0.2)B2 permutation solid solutions were formed when hot pressed ZrB2 and TiB2 ceramics. On the base of the empirical electron theory (EET) of solids and molecules, the crystal bond energy of the two solid-solutions was calculated by use of Average Atom Model, Average Cell Model and Real Cell Model. In Real Cell Model, the crystal cell parameters were assumed to be unchanged and changed. The calculation results were compared among the three models. The results showed that the general trend about the deviation electrons of B element is consistent except Real Cell Model when the lattice constant is unchanged. Namely, the number of the deviation electrons in TiB2 is more than that in ZrB2.The maximum error of crystal bond energy calculated by the three models is 38KJ/mol and the relative error is less than 2%.The general trend of the crystal bond energy calculated by the three models is monotonically increased similar to the trend of melting point of these materials. Relatively speaking, the calculation of crystal bond energy calculated by Average Atom Cell Model is simpler and more reasonable.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of ZrB2-Based UHTC via Reactive Hot Pressing

ZrB2-based ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) were prepared from a mixture powder of Zr/B4C/Si with different ratio via reactive hot pressing. The experimental results showed that the sintering temperature above 1800°C was necessary for enhancing the activity of the powders and thus improving the densification of the product. The sinterability and densification properties of ZrB2-based UHTCs meliorated with the amount of Si increasing. However, many large ZrB2 agglomerates formed when the amount of synthesized SiC in the product reached 25vol%, which led to decrease the mechanical property. The composite had highest mechanical properties when the volume ratio of ZrB2: SiC: ZrC was 73.86:20:6.14, and its flexual strength and the fracture toughness were 645.8MPa and 5.66MPa·m1/2 respectively. The microstructure investigation showed the in-situ formed SiC and ZrC were located in the triple point of ZrB2 grains with a size less than 3μm.

Reaction Process of Al-TiO2-C-Ti-Fe Multiphase System during Combustion Synthesis

The reaction process and kinetics of Al-TiO2-C-Ti-Fe system were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscope (SEM). In order to obtain the information of reaction process for complicated system, the reaction characteristics of Al-TiO2, Al-TiO2-C and Al-TiO2-C-Ti systems are explored firstly. The results show that the reaction process varies with temperature in Al-TiO2-C-Ti-Fe system. At the lower temperature, the dominating reaction in Al-TiO2-C-Ti-Fe system is that between Al and Ti, Al and Fe, and so TiAlx, FeAlx, and Ti2Fe intermetallic compounds form. With the temperature increasing, the intermetallic compounds are decomposed. Then the decomposed Ti and Al react with C and TiO2 respectively and the stable TiC, Al2O3 and Fe three phases form in the final product.