TY - JOUR
T1 - Laser melting of spark plasma-sintered zirconium carbide: thermophysical properties of a generation IV very high-temperature reactor material
AU - Jackson, Heather
AU - Jayaseelan, Daniel
AU - Lee, William Edward
AU - Reece, Michael
AU - Inam, Fawad
AU - Manara, Dario
AU - Casoni, Carlo Perinetti
AU - de Bruycker, Franck
AU - Boboridis, Konstantinos
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - Melting temperatures of zirconium carbide were investigated in validating a novel thermal analysis technique for refractory materials. Commercial ZrC0.96 powder was densified by spark plasma sintering to >96% relative density after 6–30 min at 2173–2453 K under 40–100 MPa. Sintered ceramics were heated to >4000 K via pulsed laser heating. Mean values for solidus and liquidus transitions were 3451 and 3608 K, respectively, in fair agreement with the present phase diagram. Postmelting analysis revealed dendritic microstructure and composition consistent with single-phase ZrC. Subsurface gas porosity and ZrC–C eutectic indicate complex processes occurring during melting and freezing.
AB - Melting temperatures of zirconium carbide were investigated in validating a novel thermal analysis technique for refractory materials. Commercial ZrC0.96 powder was densified by spark plasma sintering to >96% relative density after 6–30 min at 2173–2453 K under 40–100 MPa. Sintered ceramics were heated to >4000 K via pulsed laser heating. Mean values for solidus and liquidus transitions were 3451 and 3608 K, respectively, in fair agreement with the present phase diagram. Postmelting analysis revealed dendritic microstructure and composition consistent with single-phase ZrC. Subsurface gas porosity and ZrC–C eutectic indicate complex processes occurring during melting and freezing.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1744-7402.2009.02434.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1744-7402.2009.02434.x
M3 - Article
SN - 1546-542X
VL - 7
SP - 316
EP - 326
JO - International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology
JF - International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology
IS - 3
ER -