Low thermal conductivity in porous SiC–SiO2–Al2O3–TiO2 ceramics induced by multiphase thermal resistance

Abstract

The introduction of multiple heterogeneous interfaces in a ceramic is an efficient way to increase its thermal resistance. Novel porous SiC–SiO2–Al2O3–TiO2 (SSAT) ceramics were fabricated to achieve multiple heterogeneous interfaces by sintering equal volumes of SiC, SiO2, Al2O3, and TiO2 compacted powders with polysiloxane as a bonding phase and carbon as a template at 600 °C in air. The porosity could be controlled between 66% and 74% by adjusting the amounts of polysiloxane and the carbon template. The lowest thermal conductivity (0.059 W/(m·K) at 74% porosity) obtained in this study is an order of magnitude lower than those (0.2–1.3 W/(m·K)) of porous monolithic SiC, SiO2, Al2O3, and TiO2 ceramics at an equivalent porosity. The typical specific compressive strength value of the porous SSAT ceramics at 74% porosity was 3.2 MPa cm3/g.