Effect of SiC Particle Content on Mechanical Properties and Ablation Resistance of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC Ceramics

doi:10.15541/jim20250410

Abstract

Abstract:

Compared to conventional ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs), multi-principal carbonitride UHTCs exhibit superior high-temperature stability and ablation resistance. However, the inherent brittleness of these materials poses a significant constraint on their widespread applications. To overcome this drawback, in this study, (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics were fabricated by combining mechanical alloying/nitridation with spark plasma sintering through the introduction of second-phase SiC particles (SiC_p) into the system, and influence of different SiC_p contents on the mechanical properties and ablation resistance of the materials was systematically investigated. The results indicate that incorporation of SiC_p effectively enhances the mechanical properties of the materials. When the volume fraction of SiC_p reaches 20%, the fracture toughness achieves (5.18±0.24) MPa·m^1/2, representing a substantial enhancement of 31.5% compared to the (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N) ceramic. This improvement in fracture toughness can be attributed to toughening mechanisms, including crack deflection and branching, owing to the introduction of SiC_p. Further oxygen-acetylene ablation tests at 2100 ℃ for 120 s demonstrate that incorporation of SiC_p also significantly enhances the ablation resistance of the material. The optimal performance is achieved at a SiC_p volume fraction of 20%, with a mass ablation of -0.92 mg/s and a linear ablation of -1.17 μm/s, outperforming most reported conventional UHTCs. The enhancement in ablation resistance can be attributed to the pinning effect exerted by a high-melting-point multicomponent oxide skeleton on the low-melting-point SiO₂ phase, as well as the synergistic formation of a multicomponent dense oxide barrier that effectively suppresses oxygen diffusion. This work presents a strategy to resolve the intrinsic brittleness of multi-principal carbonitride UHTCs through the optimal incorporation of SiC_p, which concurrently improves the mechanical properties and ablation resistance. These results provide a theoretical foundation and experimental data for the design of advanced thermal protection materials.

Key words: multi-principal carbonitride ceramic, SiC particle, mechanical property, ablation resistance

CLC Number:

TB35

PENG Yuchao, DONG Yuan, DONG Shun, XIA Liansen, HU Peitao, ZHANG Xinghong, ZHOU Yanchun. Effect of SiC Particle Content on Mechanical Properties and Ablation Resistance of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC Ceramics[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2026, 41(7): 947-954.

Figures/Tables 14

Fig. 1 XRD patterns of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents (a) Overall XRD patterns; (b) Enlarged view in the range of 2θ=35o-37o

Fig. 2 SEM images of the polished surfaces of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents (a) CC-0-SiCp; (b) CC-10-SiCp; (c) CC-15-SiCp; (d) CC-20-SiCp; (e) CC-25-SiCp

Fig. 3 Mechanical properties of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents and SEM images of indentation morphology and crack propagation in CC-20-SiCp (a) Vickers hardness; (b) Fracture toughness; (c) Indentation morphology; (d-f) Crack propagation paths

Fig. 4 Comparison of mechanical properties of the UHTCs between this work and selected references[20-24]

Fig. 5 (a) Macroscopic morphologies before and after ablation tests and (b) XRD patterns after ablation tests of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents

Fig. 6 Comparison of ablation performance of the UHTCs between this work and selected references[8,32 -36]

Table S1 Measured densities, theoretical densities, and relative densities of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents

Sample	Measured density/(g·cm^-3)	Theoretical density/(g·cm^-3)	Relative density/%
CC-0-SiC_p	8.67	8.92	97.2
CC-10-SiC_p	8.17	8.35	97.8
CC-15-SiC_p	7.92	8.06	98.3
CC-20-SiC_p	7.69	7.78	98.8
CC-25-SiCp	7.30	7.49	97.5

Table S2 Summary of the mechanical properties data of the UHTCs in this work and those reported in selected references

Material system	Fracture toughness/(MPa·m^1/2)	Vickers hardness/GPa	Reference
(Hf,Zr,Ta,Nb,Ti)(C,N)	2.8	19.5	[20]
(Ti,V,Nb,Ta)(C,N)	2.64	19.7	[21]
(Ti,V,Nb,Ta)(C,N)	2.1	20.6	[21]
(Ti,V,Nb,Ta)(C,N)	2	19.1	[21]
(Ti,Nb,Ta,Mo,W)(C,N)	3.1	23.4	[22]
(Ti,Nb,Ta,Mo,W)(C,N)	2.2	26.8	[22]
ZrC	2.8	18.2	[23]
ZrC	2.8	19	[23]
ZrC	2.6	19.6	[23]
ZrC	1.8	20.1	[23]
TaC	2.7	13.9	[24]
HfC	2.9	10.2	[24]

Table S3 Mass ablation rates and linear ablative rates of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents

Sample	Mass ablation rate/(mg·s^-1)	Linear ablative rate/(μm·s^-1)
CC-0-SiC_p	-5.75	-4.58
CC-10-SiC_p	-2.33	-2.17
CC-15-SiC_p	-1.42	-1.33
CC-20-SiC_p	-0.92	-1.17
CC-25-SiC_p	-1.25	-2.58

Table S4 Summary of the ablation performance data of the UHTCs in this work and those reported in selected references

Material system	Temperature/℃	Time/s	Mass ablation rate/(mg·s^-1)	Linear ablative rate/(μm·s^-1)	Reference
(Ta_0.2Hf_0.2Zr_0.2Ti_0.2Nb_0.2)C_0.8N_0.2	2227	40	-14.7	-6.54	[32]
(Ti,Zr,Hf,Nb,Ta)C	2000	120	-3.8	-3.6	[8]
(Ti,Zr,Hf,Nb,Ta)C-SiC	2000	120	1.9	-2.1	[8]
C_f/(Ti_0.2Zr_0.2Hf_0.2Nb_0.2Ta_0.2)C-SiC	2430	30	2.6	2.89	[33]
(Hf,Ta,Zr,Nb)C	2100	60	0.66	-8.5	[34]
(Hf,Ta,Zr,Nb)C	2100	120	1.41	-4.8	[34]
(Hf_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2Ta_0.2Nb_0.2)C	1801	30	-3.03	-3.33	[35]
(Hf_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2Ta_0.2Nb_0.2)C	1952	30	-3.4	-5.63	[35]
(Hf_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2Ta_0.2Nb_0.2)C	2052	40	-4.95	-6.75	[35]
(Hf,Zr,Ta,Ti)B₂	1935	30	-1.52	0.96	[36]
(Hf,Zr,Ta,Ti)B₂	1990	60	-0.63	1.14	[36]

Fig. S1 SEM image and corresponding EDS element mappings of the polished surfaces for CC-20-SiCp

Fig. S2 SEM images of fractured surfaces and grain size distributions of (Ti,Zr,Hf,Ta,Cr)(C,N)-SiC ceramics with various SiCp contents (a) CC-0-SiCp; (b) CC-10-SiCp; (c) CC-15-SiCp; (d) CC-20-SiCp; (e) CC-25-SiCp

Fig. S3 Macroscopic morphology, SEM images and corresponding EDS element mappings of the surface microstructure for CC-20-SiCp after ablation tests (a) Macroscopic morphology; (b-d) SEM images of (b) central region, (c) transitional region, and (d) edge region;(e) Magnified SEM image of transitional region; (f-l) EDS element mappings

Fig. S4 SEM images and EDS point analysis results of various surface regions on CC-20-SiCp after oxyacetylene ablation testing at 2100 ℃ for 120 s (a-c) Central region; (d-f) Transitional region; (g-i) Edge region

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