Synthesis, characterization and ceramization of a carbon-rich zirconium-containing precursor for ZrC ceramic

A precursor for ZrC ceramic (PZC) was successfully synthesized by chemical reaction of phenol, paraformaldehyde, ZrOCl₂·8H₂O and acetylacetone. The chemical structure of PZC was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance. The thermal properties of PZC were investigated by thermogravimetric analyzer-differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicate that the obtained precursor might be Zr-O and Zr-O-C chain polymer with hydroxymethyl phenol and acetylacetone as ligands. The PZC can be cured readily at 160 C under moderate conditions and the residue of the precursor was 48% at 1400 C. The final pyrolytic residue (ZrC and C) was a hard and dense massive solid without obvious defects. The ZrC particles were fine and uniformly distributed in the carbon matrix. The simple and low cost process, controllable viscosity, easily cured property, relatively high ceramic yield, and carbon-rich pyrolytic residue with uniformly distributed ZrC particles enable the precursor a promising material to be used in the polymer infiltration and pyrolysis process to prepare ZrC modified carbon/carbon composites.