Fabrication, Microstructural Characterization, and Ablation Behavior of a Novel 3D Orthogonal Woven C/C-SiC-ZrB2 Composite Through I-CVI, SI, and LSI Combined Processes

Rezaei Chekani, Amin; naderi, malek; aliasgarian, reza; Safaei-Naeini, yousef

doi:10.22068/ijmse.3880

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‎ 10.22068/ijmse.3880

Fabrication, Microstructural Characterization, and Ablation Behavior of a Novel 3D Orthogonal Woven C/C-SiC-ZrB2 Composite Through I-CVI, SI, and LSI Combined Processes

Amin Rezaei Chekani

, Malek Naderi

, Reza Aliasgarian

, Yousef Safaei-Naeini

Abstract: (126 Views)

This paper presents the novel fabrication method of a three-dimensional orthogonally woven (3DW) C/C-SiC-Zr B₂ composite and the effects of ZrB₂ and SiC particles on microstructure and the ablation behavior of the C/C–SiC–ZrB₂ composite are studied. C/C–SiC–ZrB₂ composite was prepared by isothermal-chemical vapor infiltration (I-CVI), slurry infiltration (SI), and liquid silicon infiltration (LSI) combined process. Pyrolytic carbon (PyC) was first infused into the 3DW preform by I-CVI at 1050^°C using CH₄ as a precursor in order to form a C/C preform with porous media. The next step was graphitization at 2400^°C for 1hr. Then ZrB₂ was introduced into 3DW C/C preform with a void percentage of 48 by impregnating the mixture of ZrB₂ and phenolic resin, followed by a pyrolysis step at 1050°C. A liquid Si alloy was infiltrated, at 1650 ^°C, into the 3DW C/C composites porous media containing the ZrB₂ particles to form a SiC–ZrB₂ matrix. An oxyacetylene torch flame was utilized to investigate The ablation behavior. ZrB₂ particles, along with the SiC matrix situated between carbon fiber bundles, form a compact ZrO₂-SiO₂ layer. This layer acts as a barrier, restricting oxygen infiltration into the composite and reducing the erosion of carbon fibers. The findings were supported by FESEM imaging and further confirmed through x-ray diffraction and EDS analysis. The addition of ZrB₂ to the C/C-SiC composite resulted in a lower mass and linear ablation rate; 2.20 mg/s and 1.4 µm/s respectively while those for C/C-SiC composite were 4.8 mg/s and 6.75 µm/s after ablation under an oxyacetylene flame (2500°C) for 120 s.

Keywords: three-dimensional orthogonal woven preform, liquid silicon infiltration, ceramic-matrix composite, C/C–SiC–ZrB2 composite, ablation resistance