High temperature mechanical retention characteristics and oxidation behaviors of the MoSi2（Cr5Si3）–RSiC composites prepared via a PIP-AAMI combined process

In the present paper,MoSi2(Cr5Si3)–RSiC composites were prepared via a combination of precursor impregnation pyrolysis(PIP) and MoSi2-Si-Cr alloy active melt infiltration(AAMI) process. Composition, microstructure, mechanical retention characteristics, and oxidation behaviors of the composites at elevated temperature were studied. X-ray diffraction(XRD) pattern confirms that the composites mainly compose of 6 H–SiC, hexagonal MoSi2, and tetragonal Cr5Si3. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) image reveals that nearly denseMoSi2(Cr5Si3)–RSiC composites exhibiting three-dimensionally(3D) interpenetrated network structure are obtained when infiltrated at 2173 K, and the interface combination of the composites mainly depends on the composition ratio of infiltrated phases. Oxidation weight gain rate of the composites is much lower than that of RSiC matrix, where MoSiCr2 possesses the lowest value of 0.1630 mg×cm-2, about 78% lower than that of RSiC after oxidation at 1773 K for 100 h. Also, it possesses the highest mechanical values of 139.54 MPa(flexural strength σf and RT) and 276.77 GPa(elastic modulus Ef and RT), improvement of 73.73% and 29.77% as compared with that of RSiC, respectively. Mechanical properties of the composites increase first and then decrease with the extension of oxidation time at 1773 K, due to the cooperation effect of surface defect reduction via oxidation reaction and thermal stress relaxation in the composites, crystal growth, and thickness increase of the oxide film. Fracture toughness of MoSiCr2 reaches 2.24 MPa·m1/2(1673 K), showing the highest improvement of 31.70% as compared to the RT value.