High-temperature mechanical property improvements of SiC ceramics by NITE process

Dense SiC ceramics fabricated by NITE process (NITE-SiC), using SiC nano-powder, were subjected to exposure tests from 1000 to 1800°C in an argon-oxygen gas mixture with an oxygen partial pressure of 0.1 Pa. The thermal stability of NITE-SiC was examined through mass change, 3-point bending test, XRD analysis and TEM/SEM observation. The NITE-SiC presented excellent bending strength (above 800 MPa) up to ∼ 1800°C while the conventional liquid-phase sintered SiC ceramics (LPS-SiC), using SiC sub-micron powder, indicated severe degradation at 1300°C due to volatilization and softening of amorphous grain boundary phase. The in situ 3-point bending test at 1300°C was carried out to evaluate in-service fracture behavior, where excellent improvements in bending strength, elastic modulus and fracture behavior were confirmed, compared with the conventional LPS-SiC. These are interpreted by the modification with reduction and crystallization of grain boundary phase (Y₃Al₅O₁₂). The decomposition of Y₃Al₅O₁₂ were caused by the reactions with CO gas on the surface of NITE-SiC exposed at 1800°C, but the severe degradation was not identified in strength.