Preparation and Properties of Ytterbium Aluminosilicate Glass and SiC Modified h-BN-based Composites

doi:10.15541/jim20250146

Abstract

Abstract:

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) ceramics are significant in industrial applications, however, their special layered structure, combined with low strength and hardness, limits their application. In this study, ytterbium aluminum silicate (YbAS) glass and hard SiC particles were simultaneously introduced as reinforcing phases, and a series of h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites were prepared by in-situ reaction hot pressing sintering techniques. With the volume fraction of YbAS glass fixed at 30%, the effect of SiC content on the properties of the composites was studied. The results demonstrate that the synergistic effect of YbAS glass and SiC can effectively enhance the strength and toughness of h-BN-based composites. This composite exhibits optimal mechanical performance when the SiC volume fraction reaches 30%, yielding flexural strength, compressive strength, fracture toughness, Vickers hardness, and elastic modulus values of (462±5) MPa, (1465±58) MPa, (5.5±0.3) MPa·m^1/2, (4.7±0.3) GPa, and 140 GPa, respectively. The strengthening mechanism is identified as when the SiC content reaches a certain proportion, it plays a supporting role, effectively bearing external loads to enhance the composites. Moreover, SiC can effectively suppress the growth of h-BN grains during the sintering process, contributing to fine-grained strengthening. The composites also have good high-temperature mechanical properties and relatively low thermal conductivity, with the thermal expansion coefficient being related to structure of h-BN and transition temperature of YbAS glass. This study provides an effective approach for the strengthening and toughening of h-BN ceramic materials.

Key words: h-BN-based composite, YbAS glass, SiC, mechanical property, thermal property

CLC Number:

TQ174

ZHANG Yongheng, CHEN Jixin. Preparation and Properties of Ytterbium Aluminosilicate Glass and SiC Modified h-BN-based Composites[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2026, 41(1): 37-44.

Figures/Tables 11

Table 1 Sample notations and compositions of raw powders

Sample	SiC/ % (in volume)	YbAS glass/ % (in volume)	h-BN/ % (in volume)
BYbSi5	5	30	65
BYbSi10	10	30	60
BYbSi20	20	30	50
BYbSi30	30	30	40

Fig. 1 XRD patterns of the h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites with varying contents of SiC

Fig. 2 SEM images of the h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites with varying contents of SiC (a) BYbSi5; (b) BYbSi10; (c) BYbSi20; (d) BYbSi30

Fig. 3 Microstructure and element mappings of the BYbSi30 composite (a) Bright field image; (b) HAADF image; (c-e) Diffraction patterns of h-BN (c), SiC (d) and YbAS glass (e); (f-l) Distributions of B, N, Yb, Al, O, Si and C elements in Fig. (b); (m, n) High-resolution images of area A (m) and area B (n) in Fig. (a)

Table 2 Densities and relative densities of the h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites

Composite	BYbSi5	BYbSi10	BYbSi20	BYbSi30
Density/(g·cm^-3)	2.763	2.813	2.910	3.015
Relative density/%	96.12	96.30	96.55	97.04

Table 3 Room-temperature mechanical properties of the h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites

Composite	BYbSi5	BYbSi10	BYbSi20	BYbSi30
Flexural strength/MPa	377±41	348±29	447±10	462±5
Fracture toughness/(MPa·m^1/2)	4.9±0.2	5.1±0.1	5.3±0.1	5.5±0.3
Compressive strength/MPa	1067±55	1046±91	1288±64	1465±58
Elasticity modulus/GPa	104	108	125	140
Vickers hardness/GPa	2.5±0.1	2.8±0.3	3.3±0.2	4.7±0.3

Fig. 4 SEM images of h-BN in h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites with different SiC contents (a) BYbSi5; (b) BYbSi10; (c) BYbSi20; (d) BYbSi30

Fig. 5 Crack propagation path of BYbSi30 sample

Fig. 6 (a) Flexural strength of the BYbSi30 composite at different temperatures and (b) load-displacement curves for testing flexural strength at elevated temperature

Fig. 7 Thermal conductivities of h-BN/YbAS/SiC composites in the directions perpendicular and parallel to hot pressing

Fig. 8 Thermal expansion curves of BYbSi30 composites in different directions (a) Perpendicular to hot pressing; (b) Parallel to hot pressing

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