C/C–SiC composite fabricated via PCS–Si slurry reactive melt infiltration

Abstract

AbstractThe slurry reactive melt infiltration (RMI) method was used to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional RMI method utilized in preparing the large‐irregular shaped C/C preform. C/C–SiC composite was successfully fabricated via PCS–Si slurry RMI. Results show that it has a favorable physical bonding between the PCS–Si slurry and the C/C preform. After RMI, most of the Si in the PCS–Si slurry coating infiltrated into the C/C preform, the density of the C/C preform increased from 1.24 to 1.52g cm−3, and the open porosity decreased from 27.22% to 18.04%. SiC was formed on the surface as well as in the pores of the C/C preform. The as‐received C/C–SiC composite showed a pseudo‐ductile fracture behavior with a flexural strength of 76.4MPa. The mass ablation rate of the C/C–SiC composite is 0.34 mg s−1, exhibiting much better ablation resistance than the C/C preform with a mass ablation rate of 1.80 mg s−1.