Thermal Shock Resistance and Fracture Behavior of ZrB₂-based Fibrous Monolith Ceramics

Abstract

The thermal shock resistance and fracture behavior of zirconium diboride (ZrB2)-based fibrous monoliths (FM) were studied. FMs containing cells of ZrB2-30 vol% SiC with cell boundaries composed of graphite-15 vol% ZrB2 were hot pressed at 1900°C. The average flexure strength of the FMs was 375 MPa, less than half of the strength of hot-pressed ZrB2-30 vol% SiC. Flexure specimens failed noncatastrophically and retained 50%-85% of their original strength after the first fracture event. A critical thermal shock temperature (ΔTc) of 1400°C was measured by water quench thermal shock testing, a 250% improvement over the previously reported ΔTc values for ZrB2 and ZrB2-30 vol% SiC of similar dimensions (4 mm × 3 mm × 45 mm). The flexure strength was maintained with ΔTc values of 1350°C and below. As ΔTc increased, the stiffness of the flexure specimen decreased linearly. The lower stiffness and improvement in thermal shock resistance is attributed to crack propagation in the cell boundary and crack deflection around the load-bearing cells. The critical thermal shock was attributed to the fracture of the ZrB2-30% SiC cell material.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

Sponsor(s)

United States. Air Force. Office of Scientific Research

Keywords and Phrases

Thermal Shock Resistance; ZrB₂-Based Fibrous Monolith Ceramics

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0002-7820; 1551-2916

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2009 John Wiley & Sons, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2009

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