SiC-IrSi₃ for High Oxidation Resistance

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Ceramic Engineering
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Silicon carbide (SiC) possesses desirable thermal and mechanical properties but is expensive to produce.
• Traditional SiC production via sintering is costly.
• Reactive infiltration offers a lower-cost alternative for SiC production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of replacing residual silicon in SiC with silicides.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties of SiC-IrSi3 composites.
• To assess the compatibility and oxidation resistance of SiC-IrSi3 composites.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of SiC-C preforms.
• Reactive infiltration using Ir-Si alloys.
• Thermomechanical analysis.
• Oxidation resistance testing.

Main Results:

• SiC-IrSi3 composite material exhibited good mechanical properties.
• High compatibility was observed between iridium silicide (IrSi3) and SiC.
• The presence of IrSi3 significantly enhanced oxidation resistance compared to SiC-Si composites.

Conclusions:

• Reactive infiltration of SiC-C preforms with Ir-Si alloys is a viable method for producing SiC-IrSi3 composites.
• The SiC-IrSi3 composite demonstrates superior mechanical and oxidation resistance properties.
• This material offers a promising, cost-effective alternative for applications requiring high-performance SiC.