Abstract
Spark plasma joining is used to join ZrB2-SiC composites with seamless microstructures at the joint that results in retention of high-temperature mechanical and oxidation properties after joining. Our approach uses a spark plasma sintering furnace and Zr-B powder filler layers to join the parts together. The joining processing parameters used to optimize the joint microstructure were filler composition, target temperature, hold time, and volume of filler. A filler of 1 mm3 and spark plasma joining conditions at 1800°C for 300 s resulted in the formation of a joint region that was indistinguishable from the bulk substrates. Room and high-temperature (1350°C) shear strengths of joined substrates measured equal to baseline substrates and oxidation behavior for joined and baseline substrates were equivalent after static air oxidation at 1700°C. X-Ray diffraction measurements show the joint is composed of ZrB2 and ZrC. We found the joining mechanism to be solid-state bonding of ZrB2 that formed from the Zr-B filler and reaction bonding by the formation of ZrC. Spark plasma joining rapidly joins ZrB2-SiC and probably other conductive ultra high-temperature ceramic composites, and has the potential to impact the rapid assembly and joining of complex thermal protection material systems.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3825-3832 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of the American Ceramic Society |
Volume | 94 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2011 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ceramics and Composites
- Materials Chemistry