Preparation of Silicon Carbide Coating Layer by Fluidized Bed Chemical Vapor Deposition Using a Halogen-Free Precursor

Abstract

Tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particle, with spherical ceramic fuel particle kernels followed by three layers of pyrolytic carbon and one layer of silicon carbide (SiC), has been successful now in high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR). The silicon carbide (SiC) layer used in TRISO coated fuel particles is normally produced at high temperatures (~1600°C) via fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition from methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) in a hydrogen environment. The precursor is strong corrosive and the process is not environmentally friendly. In this work, hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) was used instead of MTS and the deposition behavior was investigated via fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition method. Different experimental parameters were tested, such as deposition temperature (800~1450°C) and gas flow ratio of Ar: H2. The deposition rates were obtained and compared. It was found that the optimization parameters of highest deposition rate is 1000°C with the ratio of Ar: H2 of 1:1. The microstructures of the products were further investigated by SEM, XRD and Raman scattering. From the X-ray diffraction pattern it could be inferred that the β-SiC phase was obtained, and free carbon was also found in deposition products. Different types of SiC layer, including dense and porous layer can be prepared. The experimental results validated that HMDS was an alternative precursor for preparing the SiC layer in producing the TRISO particle and other SiC-coated materials in lower temperatures