Preparation, Structure and Properties of C/Sicnw-Zrc Composites

Abstract

This work presents a novel pore control structure strategy for the in-situ construction of a three-dimensional interpenetrating network of SiC nanowires within a carbon fiber preform. By combining Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI), polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP), and Reaction Melt Infiltration (RMI), a C/SiCnw-ZrC composite was fabricated. The composite exhibits good flexural strength (223 MPa), fracture toughness (11.87 MPa·m0.5), and a room temperature thermal conductivity of up to 21.67 W/m·K. Through the integration of micro-nano CT and machine learning methods, this study quantitatively reveals the impact of SiC nanowires (SiCnw) on the evolution of pore structure and phase distribution in composite materials, unveiling the efficient densification mechanism of C/SiCnw-ZrC composites. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy scanning combined with computational analysis was employed to examine the role of the three-dimensional interpenetrating network of SiCnw in regulating the residual stress of the composite materials. Finally, the multi-scale strengthening and toughening mechanisms of the C/SiCnw-ZrC composites were elucidated, indicating that the combined effects of moderate interfacial bonding, a dispersed residual stress field, and the pinning effect of SiCnw and fiber bridging are responsible for the excellent overall performance of the material.

Keywords: C/SiCnw-ZrC，Strengthen and toughen, Three-dimensional interpenetrating pore structure, Residual stress regulation, Machine learning