Liquid-phase assisted spark-plasma sintering of SiC nanoceramics and their nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes

• The appropriate conditions for liquid-phase assisted spark-plasma sintering (SPS) were identified for the fabrication of both SiC nanoceramics and their nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). A parametric study of the nanoceramics and nanocomposites with a given type of CNTs showed that the SPS temperature (as measured by the radial optical pyrometer) optimizing their densification, nanograin size, and mechanical properties is 1700 degrees C (soaking for a few minutes), below which there is incomplete densification, and above which there is obvious grain growth with no benefit in hardness or toughness in the case of the nanoceramics, and prejudicial to both properties in the case of the nanocomposites due to the CNT degradation. It was also shown that the nanocomposites have smaller nanograins than their nanoceramic counterparts, and are softer but tougher. Extension to nanocomposites with different types of CNTs confirmed these trends, and showed that the CNT features do not condition the densification, microstructure or mechanical properties of these nanocomposites.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

SiC

CNTs

Spark plasma sintering

Nanoceramics and nanocomposites

Colloidal processing

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)