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Silicon Carbide Ceramics

Structure, Properties and Manufacturing

  • 1st Edition - January 22, 2023
  • Latest edition
  • Author: Andrew J. Ruys
  • Language: English

It has been three decades since the last significant book was published on SiC ceramics (other than those books that specifically focus on SiC semiconductors). Thirty years has be… Read more

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Description

It has been three decades since the last significant book was published on SiC ceramics (other than those books that specifically focus on SiC semiconductors). Thirty years has been a long time in the world of SiC ceramics. In the early 1990s, SiC was still a relatively obscure ceramic even within the materials community, prominent only as an industrial abrasive (carborundum), and a refractory (Chapter 7). This has all changed dramatically in the 21st century. For example,

  • As a semiconductor, SiC greatly surpasses silicon in performance, especially in high-power systems. Its market penetration since its launch in 2001 has been exponential. Single-crystal SiC semiconductors are covered in Chapter 3
  • Millions of military and paramilitary personnel have globally been protected with lightweight SiC body armour, since the late 1990s. Body armour is covered in Chapters 4 and 5
  • SiC–SiC is a composite material close to commercialization that makes possible high-temperature load-bearing applications hitherto only able to be hypothesized: from ultra-high-temperature jet turbine blades to advanced nuclear fuel encapsulation, the possibilities are very promising. Aerospace applications are covered in Chapter 9
  • Other key areas that are addressed are blast-resistant SiC vehicle/vessel armour in Chapter 8 and wear-resistant SiC ceramics in Chapter 6
  • Silicon Carbide Ceramics will be an essential reference resource for academic and industrial researchers and materials scientists and engineers working in ceramic materials for the semiconductor, defence, aerospace, wear resistance and refractory fields

Key features

  • Presents an extensive review of the history, production and properties of SiC ceramics, including their characterization and applications
  • Discusses classical and state-of-the-art sintering technologies for SiC ceramics
  • Focuses on the future of ceramic manufacturing and advanced ceramic additive technologies

Readership

Academic and industrial researchers, materials scientists and engineers working in high strength ceramics, specifically Silicon Carbide Ceramics

Table of contents

Chapter 1. Introduction and Applications of SiC Ceramics

1.1. The Early History and Discovery of SiC

1.2. SiC as a Mineral

1.3. The Acheson Process

1.4. The Evolution of SiC Technology Since Acheson

1.5. Applications of SiC Ceramics

1.5.1. SiC Armor Ceramics

1.5.2. SiC Wear Resistant Ceramics

1.5.3. Precision Ceramics

1.5.4. Graphite Coatings

1.5.3. Other Uses of SiC Ceramics

1.6. Powdered SiC Applications

1.6.1. SiC-Based Refractories

1.6.2. SiC Abrasives

1.7. Thin-Film SiC Applications

1.7.1. SiC Semiconductor Thin-Film Technology

1.7.2. SiC Hard/Wear-Resistant Coating Applications

1.7.3. Other SiC Coating Applications

1.8. SiC Ceramics: The Future

Chapter 2. Structure and Properties of SiC Ceramics

2.1. Structure and Crystallography

2.2. Mechanical Properties

2.2.1. Hardness

2.2.2. Elastic Modulus

2.2.3. Strength

2.2.4. Toughness

2.3. Inherent Material Properties

2.3.1. Porosity

2.3.2. Grain size

2.3.3. Purity and Chemical Inertness

2.4. Electrical Properties

2.4.1. Electrical Conductivity

2.4.2. Dopant Effects

2.5. Thermal Properties

2.5.1. Thermal Conductivity

2.5.2. Coefficient of Thermal Expansion and Thermal Shock

2.5.3. Refractoriness

2.5.4. Specific Heat

Chapter 3. SiC Single Crystal Semiconductors

3.1. Evolution of HPSC and DSSC

3.2. Raw Materials

3.2.1. Milling Media

3.2.2. Powder Characterisation

3.3. Sintering Aids

3.4. Batching and Mixing

3.5. Forming

3.6. Densification

3.6.1. Furnace Technology

3.6.2. Hot-Pressing Systems

3.6.3. Temperature Measurement

3.6.4. Furnace Cycles – Pressureless Sintering

3.6.5. Microstructure

3.6.6. Safety Considerations

3.7. Quality Control

3.8. HPSC and DSSC Applications

3.9. Conclusions

Chapter 4. Hot Pressed SiC (HPSC)

4.1. Evolution of RSSC

4.2. Mixture Feedstock

4.2.1. SiC Powder

4.2.2. Carbon Precursors

4.3. Forming

4.3.1. Dry forming of RSSC

4.3.2. Wet-Forming of RSSC

4.4. Reaction Sintering

4.4.1. Furnace and Furnace Atmosphere

4.4.2. Temperature Measurement

4.4.3. Silicon Source

4.4.4. Sintering Cycle

4.5. Quality Control

4.7. SiC Reaction Bonded Boron Carbide

4.7. RSSC Applications

4.8. Conclusions

Chapter 5. Direct Sintered (Pressureless Sintered) SiC: DSSC

5.1. Evolution of NBSC

5.2. Batching and Mixing

5.3. Forming

5.4. Sintering

5.4.1. Silicon Content

5.4.2. Sintering Atmosphere

5.4.3. Microstructure

5.6.6. Safety Considerations

5.7. Quality Control

5.8. NBSC Applications

5.9. Conclusions

Chapter 6. Reaction Sintered SiC (RSSC)

6.1. Glass-SiC Interactions

6.2. Glass-SiC Grinding Wheel Technology

6.3. Reinforced Glass-SiC Grinding Wheel Technology

6.3. Ultra-Low-Glass Glass-bonded SiC

6.3.1. Reinforcement Technology

6.3.2. Manufacturing Technology

6.3.3. Armour Applications

6.3.4. Wear-Resistant Applications

6.4. Conclusions

Chapter 7. Silicon Nitride-Bonded SiC (SNBSC)

7.1. The Evolution of SiC-Reinforced SiC Techology

7.2. Applications of SiC-Reinforced SiC Techology

7.3. Manufacture of SiC-Reinforced SiC Techology

7.4. Microstructure of SiC-Reinforced SiC Techology

7.5. Oxidation Performance of SiC-Reinforced SiC Techology

7.6. SiC-Reinforced SiC Techology: The Future

Chapter 8. Glass-Bonded SiC (GBSC)

8.1.SiC Semiconductor thin Films

8.2. SiC Coatings for Abrasion and Wear Resistance

8.3. Clay Bonded SiC Refractories

8.4. Silicate-Bonded SiC Refractories

8.5. SiC Abrasives

Chapter 9. SiC-Fibre Reinforced SiC Composites (SiC/SiC)

9.1 Polymer-derived SiC ceramics

9.1.1 The organosilane

9.1.2 Polymer-derived ceramics: a paradigm shift in ceramic synthesis

9.1.3 Forming of polymer-derived SiC ceramics

9.1.4 Densification of polymer-derived SiC ceramics

9.1.5 PDC-SiC: the sintering aid conundrum

9.1.6 PDC-SiC: the solid solubility conundrum

9.1.7 PDC SiC: microstructural and thermodynamic aspects

9.1.8 PDC SiC: properties

9.1.9 PDC-SiC applications

9.2 SiC-SiC ceramic matrix composites

9.2.1 The space race

9.2.2 Carbon-carbon composites

9.2.3 Ceramic matrix composites

9.2.4 SiC fibre-reinforced alumina-matrix composites

9.2.5 Carbon fibre reinforced SiC

9.2.6 The SiC-SiC concept

9.2.7 The origin of SiC fibre-reinforced SiC

9.2.8 SiC-SiC synthesis via polymer infiltration pyrolysis

9.2.9 SiC-SiC synthesis via chemical vapour infiltration

9.2.10 SiC-SiC synthesis via liquid silicon infiltration

9.2.11 Enhanced densification methods

9.2.12 Hybrid processes for SiC-SiC ceramic matrix composites

9.2.13 Oxidation-resistant surface barrier coatings

9.2.14 Crack healing in SiC-SiC

9.2.15 SiC-SiC conclusions

References

Index

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: January 26, 2023
  • Language: English

About the author

AR

Andrew J. Ruys

Professor Ruys was a founding Director of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sydney, Australia, between 2003 and 2018. He graduated with a BE in Ceramic Engineering in 1987 and a PhD in Ceramic Engineering in 1992 from the University of NSW, Australia. He has worked in bioceramics and advanced ceramics research for over 30 years, and has been an active participant as researcher, educator and industrial consultant for this entire time. He is not only an experienced researcher in bioceramics (ceramics for biomedical applications) but has also been an industrial consultant in the world-changing applications of armor ceramics, advanced ceramics in wear-resistance linings in mineral processing, and numerous other important industrial applications of ceramics. He has published more than 100 journal articles, over 70 conference papers, seven books and has listed 5 patents. He serves on three editorial boards and is a reviewer for 24 scientific journals. He has been teaching bioceramics, biomaterials, and medical device technology for three decades, and has also taught on dental materials, industrial ceramics, chemistry, physics, and general engineering.
Affiliations and expertise
University of Sydney, Australia

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