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Journal of Advanced Ceramics 2023, 12(10): 1930-1945 https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220798
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 19 October 2023

Preparation of SiC coated graphite composite powders by nitriding combustion synthesis

Show Author's Information Biao Zhanga,  Wenqi Xiea,  Huaizhi Lina,  Zhilei Weia,  Zhichao Xiaoa,  Kai Heb,  Zhongqi Shia( )
State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd., Beijing 100840, China
Keywords:
powders, combustion synthesis (CS), SiC-coated graphite, nitriding, antioxidation properties
Cite this article:
Zhang B, Xie W, Lin H, et al. Preparation of SiC coated graphite composite powders by nitriding combustion synthesis. Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 2023, 12(10): 1930-1945. https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220798
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Ceramic-coated graphite powders are considered as effective raw materials to fabricate three-dimensional continuous ceramic skeleton-reinforced graphite matrix composites which can overcome their inherent poor densification and improve their mechanical and antioxidation properties. However, the morphology and thickness regulation of ceramic coatings on graphite particles are still a great challenge. Herein, SiC-coated graphite (graphite@SiC) powders were prepared by nitriding combustion synthesis using Si and graphited mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) as raw powders with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a promoter. The effects of the PTFE content and the Si/MCMB molar ratio on the phase composition and coating morphology were investigated. The phase transition and microstructure evolution of a combustion synthesis (CS) process were revealed by a gas-released quenching experiment. When the Si/MCMB molar ratio was 1 : 3 and the PTFE content was 10 wt%, the thickness of the SiC coating synthesized under 2 MPa N2 reached 1.14 μm. The corresponding sintered graphite@SiC composite had relative density of 99.2% and flexural strength of 231 MPa, accompanied by a significant improvement in high-temperature antioxidation properties. The as-synthesized graphite@SiC powders with good sinterability and antioxidation properties show great promise for applications in the nuclear industry and other extreme fields.


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Abstract
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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Preparation of SiC coated graphite composite powders by nitriding combustion synthesis

Show Author's information Biao Zhanga, Wenqi Xiea, Huaizhi Lina, Zhilei Weia, Zhichao Xiaoa, Kai Heb, Zhongqi Shia( )
State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., Ltd., Beijing 100840, China

Abstract

Ceramic-coated graphite powders are considered as effective raw materials to fabricate three-dimensional continuous ceramic skeleton-reinforced graphite matrix composites which can overcome their inherent poor densification and improve their mechanical and antioxidation properties. However, the morphology and thickness regulation of ceramic coatings on graphite particles are still a great challenge. Herein, SiC-coated graphite (graphite@SiC) powders were prepared by nitriding combustion synthesis using Si and graphited mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) as raw powders with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a promoter. The effects of the PTFE content and the Si/MCMB molar ratio on the phase composition and coating morphology were investigated. The phase transition and microstructure evolution of a combustion synthesis (CS) process were revealed by a gas-released quenching experiment. When the Si/MCMB molar ratio was 1 : 3 and the PTFE content was 10 wt%, the thickness of the SiC coating synthesized under 2 MPa N2 reached 1.14 μm. The corresponding sintered graphite@SiC composite had relative density of 99.2% and flexural strength of 231 MPa, accompanied by a significant improvement in high-temperature antioxidation properties. The as-synthesized graphite@SiC powders with good sinterability and antioxidation properties show great promise for applications in the nuclear industry and other extreme fields.

Keywords: powders, combustion synthesis (CS), SiC-coated graphite, nitriding, antioxidation properties

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Publication history

Received: 17 June 2023
Revised: 04 August 2023
Accepted: 27 August 2023
Published: 19 October 2023
Issue date: October 2023

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© The Author(s) 2023.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 92163112), the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (No. 2023-JC-JQ-29), the Innovative Scientific Program of CNNC, and the Opening Foundation of Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Aerospace Composites. We thank Dr. Chaowei Guo at School of Materials Science and Engineering of Xi’an Jiaotong University for his assistance with scattered electron microscopy analyses.

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