Abstract
The effects of three kinds of ZrB2 powders with different particle size and oxygen content on microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrB2-based ceramics reinforced by SiC whisker (SiCw) are studied. Although the particle size of ZrB2 powders was smallest, high oxygen content led to the severer degeneration of SiCw and the coarsened microstructure of ZrB2-SiCw composite, which resulted in the lowest fracture toughness (3.86 ± 0.51 MPa m1/2). When ZrB2 powders with the combination of small particle size and low oxygen content were used, ZrB2-SiCw composite exhibited less degeneration of SiCw, finer microstructure, and then higher fracture toughness of 5.83 ± 0.75 MPa m1/2. Therefore, lowering the particle size and oxygen content of ZrB2 powders was an effective method to prepare ZrB2-SiCw with high fracture toughness.
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