Thermal Modification of Microstructures and Grain Boundaries in Silicon Carbide

Polycrystalline SiC samples hot pressed with aluminum, boron, and carbon sintering additions (ABC-SiC) were characterized using transmission electron microscopy. The study focused on the effects of high-temperature treatment on microstructure. Three temperatures, at which considerable microstructural changes took place, were found to be critical. At a threshold temperature of approximately 1000°C, 1-nm-wide, amorphous intergranular films started to crystallize. At approximately 1300°C, lattice diffusion in SiC grains resulted in nanoprecipits, which could diffuse into grain boundaries and significantly altered composition. Quantitative microanalysis revealed doubled Al content in intergranular films after annealing at 1300°C. Except for crystallization in intergranular films and nano-precipitation in matrix grains, microstructure remained stable until 1600°C, when microstructural changes with volatile features occurred. A brief holding at 1900°C brought marked changes in microstructure, including structural change in intergranular films, dissolved nanoprecipitates, unit cell dilation, and cracking. The results indicate that ABC-SiC is highly promising in structural applications at up to 1500°C.