The oxidation behavior of SiC-ZrC-SiC-coated C/SiC minicomposites at ultrahigh temperatures

Carbon-fiber-reinforced SiC (C/SiC) minicomposites were fabricated by the chemical vapor infiltration process. A multilayer of SiC-ZrC-SiC was coated on the C/SiC minicomposites. As comparison, the C/SiC minicomposites with SiC coating were also fabricated. The oxidation behavior of the coated C/SiC minicomposites was studied in the temperature range of 1800°-2000°C in a combustion wind tunnel. The tensile strength of the coated C/SiC minicomposites before and after the oxidation was measured. The results indicated that the SiC-ZrC-SiC-coated C/SiC minicomposites performed better oxidation resistance at ultrahigh temperatures than the SiC-coated ones. The effect of the additional zirconium carbide layer on the oxidation behavior of the minicomposites was discussed.