Growth stress in SiO2 during oxidation of SiC fibers

Abstract

A method to calculate growth stress in SiO2 scales formed during SiC fiber oxidation was developed. Calculations were done for Hi-NicalonTM-S SiC fibers using previously measured Deal-Grove oxidation kinetics parameters. Initial compressive stresses in SiO2 of ∼25 GPa from the 2.2× oxidation volume expansion are rapidly relaxed to lower levels by flow of silica with a shear-stress dependent viscosity. At >1200°, viscous flow of silica relaxes stress to negligible levels. At 700° – 900 °C, compressive axial and hoop stress at the GPa level persist, but radial stresses are much smaller. The decrease in growth stress with increase in temperature is a consequence of larger activation energy for silica viscosity than for oxidation kinetics. Radial expansion of the outer scale eventually causes hoop stress to become tensile in the outer scale, and axial stress becomes tensile from the Poisson effect. Tensile hoop stresses can be >1 GPa for thick scales formed at <1000 °C. Approximate analytical expressions for growth stress for some limiting cases are discussed. Growth stresses were also calculated for crystallized SiO2 scales; these were qualitatively consistent with microstructural evidence of stress. Assumptions and limitations of the calculation method are discussed, along with the possible effects of growth stress on SiC oxidation kinetics and on SiC fiber strength.