SiC nanowire-toughened SiC-MoSi₂-CrSi₂ oxidation protective coating for carbon/carbon composites

To prevent carbon/carbon (C/C) composites from oxidation, a dense SiC nanowire-toughened SiC-MoSi₂-CrSi₂ multiphase coating was prepared by the two-step technique composed of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and pack cementation. The coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). SiC nanowires could decrease the dimension of cracks and improve the oxidation and thermal shock resistance of SiC-MoSi₂-CrSi₂ multiphase coating. Oxidation test shows that, after introducing SiC nanowires, the weight loss of the coated sample can be reduced from 1.06% to 0.64% after oxidation at 1773K for 155h and decreased from 6.92% to 3.42% after thermal cycling between 1773K and room temperature for 30 times.