ZrC Based Ceramics by High Pressure High Temperature SPS Technique

• Published in: Key engineering materials 2019-04, Vol.799, p.125-130
• Main Authors: Cygan, Slawomir, Hussainova, Irina, Aydinyan, Sofiya, Minasyan, Tatevik, Liu, Le
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Compacts; Density; Diamond pyramid hardness; High temperature; Microstructural analysis; Microstructure; Modulus of elasticity; Oxidation; Phase distribution; Plasma sintering; Silicon nitride; Spark plasma sintering; Titanium carbide; Zirconium carbide
• ISSN: 1013-9826; 1662-9795; 1662-9795
• DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.799.125

Zirconium carbide based materials were consolidated via spark plasma sintering and high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) sintering methods. Fully dense ZrC-TiC compacts were produced by HTHP SPS technique at 1600-1700°C and were characterized by 370 GPa and 23.7 GPa values of Young’s modulus and Vickers microhardness, respectively. By the addition of 2 wt.% silicon nitride, the compacts of a full density were obtained at 1600°C; however, the further addition of Si3N4 resulted in a decrease in both density and hardness. Oxidation behavior in air of the ZrC-TiC and ZrC-TiC-Si3N4 compacts was explored by high temperature XRD method showing intensive oxidation at ~1000°C. Microstructural analysis certified that the addition of certain amount of Si3N4 increases the phase distribution homogeneity and contributes to the microstructure refinement.