• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
• /
• v.55 no.11
• /
• pp.505-513
• /
• 2006

The present study investigated the influence of the content of $Al_2O_3+Y_2O_3$ sintering additives on the microstructure, mechanical and electrical properties of the pressureless-sintered $SiC-ZrB_2$ electroconductive ceramic composites. Phase analysis of composites by XRD revealed mostly of ${\alpha}-SiC(4H),\;ZrB_2,\;{\beta}-SiC(15R)$ and In Situ $YAG(Al_5Y_3O_{12})$. The relative density and the flexural strength showed the highest value of 86.8[%] and 203[Mpa] for $SiC-ZrB_2$ composite with an addition of 8[wt%] $Al_2O_3+Y_2O_3$ as a sintering aid at room temperature respectively. Owing to crack deflection and crack bridging of fracture toughness mechanism, the fracture toughness showed 3.7 and $3.6[MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}]\;for\;SiC-ZrB_2$ composites with an addition of 8 and 12[wt%] $Al_2O_3+Y_2O_3$ as a sintering aid at room temperature respectively. Abnormal grain growth takes place during phase transformation from ${\beta}-SiC\;into\;{\alpha}-SiC$ was correlated with In Situ YAG phase by reaction between $Al_2O_3\;and\;Y_2O_3$ additives during sintering. The electrical resistivity showed the lowest value of $6.5{\times}10^{-3}[({\Omega}{\cdot}cm]$ for the $SiC-ZrB_2$ composite with an addition of 8[wt%] $Al_2O_3+Y_2O_3$ as a sintering aid at room temperature. The electrical resistivity of the $SiC-ZrB_2$ composites was all positive temperature coefficient(PTCR) in the temperature ranges from $25[^{\circ}C]\;to\;700[^{\circ}C]$. The resistance temperature coefficient showed the highest value of $3.53{\times}10^{-3}/[^{\circ}C]\;for\;SiC-ZrB_2$ composite with an addition of 8[wt%] $Al_2O_3+Y_2O_3$ as a sintering aid in the temperature ranges from $25[^{\circ}C]\;to\;700[^{\circ}C]$. In this paper, it is convinced that ${\beta}-SiC$ based electroconductive ceramic composites for heaters or ignitors can be manufactured by pressureless sintering.