TY - JOUR
T1 - Toughening of ZrB2-based composites with in-situ synthesized ZrC from ZrO2 and graphite precursors
AU - Shahedi Asl, Mehdi
AU - Nayebi, Behzad
AU - Parvizi, Soroush
AU - Ahmadi, Zohre
AU - Parvin, Nader
AU - Shokouhimehr, Mohammadreza
AU - Mohammadi, Mohsen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - ZrB2 matrix composites toughened with in-situ formed ZrC were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) utilizing ZrB2/ZrO2/graphite powder mixtures at 1900 °C for 7 min under 40 MPa load. Different amounts of graphite nano-flakes (3, 6, and 9 wt%) were added to ZrB2–20 vol% ZrO2 aiming in-situ formation of ZrC reinforcement. Clean ZrB2/ZrC interfaces were observed in the as-sintered microstructure, especially in the composite containing 6 wt% graphite. The reduction of ZrO2 with graphite, which formed ZrC, was progressed over a zirconium oxycarbide (ZrCxOy) intermediate. The hardness of the SPSed ZrB2-based composites was decreased with increasing the graphite content. However, the fracture toughness of the composites showed a reverse trend. By adjusting the graphite content to 6 wt%, excellent control of microstructure could be achieved for the prepared composites with a higher amount of ZrC and lower content of other unfavorable phases. It was finally found that achieving the optimum microstructure of the composite could improve its mechanical performance, and provides a hardness of 17.3 GPa and fracture toughness of 5.0 MPa m1/2.
AB - ZrB2 matrix composites toughened with in-situ formed ZrC were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) utilizing ZrB2/ZrO2/graphite powder mixtures at 1900 °C for 7 min under 40 MPa load. Different amounts of graphite nano-flakes (3, 6, and 9 wt%) were added to ZrB2–20 vol% ZrO2 aiming in-situ formation of ZrC reinforcement. Clean ZrB2/ZrC interfaces were observed in the as-sintered microstructure, especially in the composite containing 6 wt% graphite. The reduction of ZrO2 with graphite, which formed ZrC, was progressed over a zirconium oxycarbide (ZrCxOy) intermediate. The hardness of the SPSed ZrB2-based composites was decreased with increasing the graphite content. However, the fracture toughness of the composites showed a reverse trend. By adjusting the graphite content to 6 wt%, excellent control of microstructure could be achieved for the prepared composites with a higher amount of ZrC and lower content of other unfavorable phases. It was finally found that achieving the optimum microstructure of the composite could improve its mechanical performance, and provides a hardness of 17.3 GPa and fracture toughness of 5.0 MPa m1/2.
KW - In-situ reinforcing
KW - Spark plasma sintering
KW - Toughening
KW - Ultrahigh temperature ceramics
KW - Zirconium oxycarbide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85093979746&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jsamd.2020.09.014
DO - 10.1016/j.jsamd.2020.09.014
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85093979746
SN - 2468-2284
VL - 6
SP - 42
EP - 48
JO - Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices
JF - Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices
IS - 1
ER -