Articles
  • Synthesis and high-temperature oxidation resistance of SiC-ZrB2 composite powders via carbothermal reduction

  • Yu Caoa,b, Yueming Lia,*, Kai Lia, Chuanming Zoua, Jilin Hub and Jin Wenb

  • aSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, China National Light Industry Key Laboratory of Functional Ceramic Materials, Jingdezhen 333403, Jiangxi, China
    bSchool of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hunan University of Humanities, Science and Technology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Fine Ceramics and Powder Materials, Loudi 417000, Hunan, China

  • This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

SiC-ZrB2 composite powders were synthesized via carbothermal reduction using silica sol (SiO2·nH2O), graphite (C), boric acid (H3BO3), and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) as raw materials. The effect of calcination temperature on the synthesis process was investigated by holding the mixture at temperatures ranging from 1450 to 1600 °C for 1 h. Composite powders synthesized under optimized conditions was subsequently selected to systematically evaluate its high-temperature oxidation resistance. Results indicate that holding at 1600 °C for 1 h represents the optimal synthesis condition, producing high-purity SiC-ZrB2 composite powders. The powder exhibits a heterogeneous microstructure comprising near-spherical particles, columnar particles, irregularly structured particles, and whiskers. Stepwise oxidation testing revealed the following: At 800 °C, ZrB2 was completely oxidized to ZrO2, while a small amount of SiC reacted with oxidation products to form zircon (ZrSiO4). Above 1200 °C, the oxidation of SiC increased substantially, accompanied by significant sintering, leading to the formation of dense agglomerates. Notably, SiC remained stable at 1500 °C, exhibiting markedly superior oxidation resistance compared to ZrB2.


Keywords: Carbothermal reduction, SiC-ZrB2, Composite powders, Preparation, Oxidation resistance.

This Article

  • 2025; 26(5): 807-814

    Published on Oct 31, 2025

  • 10.36410/jcpr.2025.26.5.807
  • Received on Jul 22, 2025
  • Revised on Sep 25, 2025
  • Accepted on Oct 3, 2025

Correspondence to

  • Yueming Li

  • School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, China National Light Industry Key Laboratory of Functional Ceramic Materials, Jingdezhen 333403, Jiangxi, China
    Tel : +86 13767842606

  • E-mail: lym6329@163.com