The Oxidation Behavior of ZrB₂-SiC Ceramic Composites Fabricated by Plasma Spray Process

Our goal is to develop a structural ceramic for high-temperature applications in which silicon carbide-based materials (SiCs) are used as matrix composites. The potential of SiCs to deposit a mixture of SiC and zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) plasma spray coating is analyzed. To deposit thermal barrier layers containing up to 50 vol.% SiC, a high-pressure plasma spray (HPPS) process was used. Although the SiC cannot be deposited by thermal spray, a mixture of SiC and zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) was deposited because these two compounds form a eutectic phase at a temperature below SiC decomposition. The preference was two different forms, 3 mm and 1 mm, of graphite substrates with different thickness values. A comparison of the morphology of SiC-ZrB₂ coatings before and after thermal treatment was performed by applying heat to the surface of a gas torch and traditional furnace between 800 °C and 1200 °C. The growth of the oxide scale was calculated with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and density. The oxide scale consists of a SiO₂ layer with ZrO₂ groups. The findings indicate a greater potential for the studied material in protecting against high-temperature oxidation and in a wide variety of aerospace applications.