Comparative study on the microstructure evolution and crystallization behavior of precursor-derived and mechanical alloying derived SiBCN

• Published in: Journal of the European Ceramic Society 2024-02, Vol.44 (2), p.668-678
• Main Authors: Niu, Zi-bo, Li, Daxin, Jia, Dechang, Yang, Zhihua, Lin, Kunpeng, Wang, Dong, He, YunPeng, Zhou, Guoxiang, Colombo, Paolo, Riedel, Ralf, Zhou, Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crystallization behaviors; Crystallization kinetics; Mechanically alloyed SiBCN ceramics (MA-SiBCN); Microstructure; Precursor-derived SiBCN ceramics (PDCs-SiBCN)
• ISSN: 0955-2219; 1873-619X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2023.09.046

In this study, the chemical reactions and structural change during the transformation of the precursor into PDCs-SiBCN ceramic were investigated. Besides, the crystallization behaviors of precursor-derived (PDCs-SiBCN) and mechanical alloying derived (MA-SiBCN) SiBCN ceramics at different temperatures (1200–1700 ℃) were compared. Due to different amorphous structures derived from pyrolysis and amorphization processes, the silicon atoms units bonded by sp3 hybridization in PDCs-SiBCN and MA-SiBCN ceramics are SiC4 and SiC(4-x)Nx tetrahedral structure, respectively. Due to the phase separation of SiC(4-x)Nx tetrahedral structure at higher temperatures (>1400 ℃), PDCs-SiBCN ceramic has a higher resistance to crystallization but will suffer obvious carbothermal reduction process of Si3N4 during crystallization. Finally, the crystallization kinetics of SiC in MA-SiBCN ceramic were investigated. The temperature dependence of SiC crystallization in MA-SiBCN ceramic obeys the Arrhenius-type law with different activation energies in the low and high temperature ranges respectively due to the transition of the rate-controlling mechanisms. [Display omitted]