Evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties of PIP-C/SiC composites after high-temperature oxidation

C/SiC composites had been prepared by PIP process. The evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties after high-temperature (> 1500 degrees C) oxidation were discussed and compared. The results showed that PIP-C/SiC composites had been severely damaged after oxidation tests, micro-cracks and holes emerged along with the increasing of the oxidation temperature, which lead to the decreasing of mechanical properties. After high-temperature flexural tests, the thermal mismatch between C fibers and SiC matrix gradually caused the expansion of micro-cracks, which lead to the decreasing of flexural strength. The mechanical performance deteriorated because defects in the matrix increased and some fibers were oxidized. For long-time use at higher temperature (>= 1600 degrees C), it was necessary to develop a more protective coating with higher stability and melting temperature. (C) 2017 The Ceramic Society of Japan and the Korean Ceramic Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license