Heating rate effects on the thermal and mechanical properties of ZrB2

Zirconium diboride ceramics were densified by hot pressing and spark plasma sintering with heating rates varying from 5 to 300celcius/min. Slower heating rates produced larger grains due to the longer times spent at temperatures between 1500 and 1900celcius, which is the temperature range in which ZrB2 grains coarsen. Heating rates above 50celcius/min resulted in rapid densification, but this led to the retention of up to 3.3 vol.% of ZrO2 particles in the ceramics. After densification, changes to the microstructure were evaluated to interpret the effects of heating rate on thermal and mechanical properties. The flexure strength of ceramics processed by hot pressing up to 80celcius/min was proportional to the inverse square root of the maximum grain size based on the Griffith criteria. Conversely, densification by spark plasma sintering, which had heating rates of up to 300celcius/min, resulted in microcracks that decreased the elastic modulus from >500 GPa for pristine specimens to 20celcius/min also reduced the thermal conductivity due to the presence of retained ZrO2, but improved the strength by reducing the maximum grain size.

Automated summary

The heating rate significantly influences the microstructure and properties of zirconium diboride ceramics, with slower rates resulting in larger grains and retained ZrO2 particles, while faster rates leading to rapid densification but also microcracks.