• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.543-550
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• 2011

Conductive SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were produced by subjecting a 40:60 (vol%) mixture of zirconium diboride (ZrB2) powder and ${\beta}$-silicon carbide (SiC) matrix to spark plasma sintering (SPS). Sintering was carried out for 5 min in an argon atmosphere at a uniaxial pressure and temperature of 50 MPa and $1500^{\circ}C$, respectively. The composite sintered at a heating speed of $25^{\circ}C$/min and an on/off pulse sequence of 12:2 was denoted as SZ12L. Composites SZ12H, SZ48H, and SZ10H were obtained by sintering at a heating speed of $100^{\circ}C$/min and at on/off pulse sequences of 12:2, 48:8, and 10:9, respectively. The physical, electrical, and mechanical properties of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were examined and thermal image analysis of the composites was performed. The apparent porosities of SZ12L, SZ12H, SZ48H, and SZ10H were 13.35%, 0.60%, 12.28%, and 9.75%, respectively. At room temperature, SZ12L had the lowest flexural strength (286.90 MPa), whereas SZ12H had the highest flexural strength (1011.34 MPa). Between room temperature and $500^{\circ}C$, the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had a positive temperature coefficient of resistance (PTCR) and linear V-I characteristics. SZ12H had the lowest PTCR and highest electrical resistivity among all the composites. The optimum SPS conditions for the production of energy-friendly SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites are as follows: 1) an argon atmosphere, 2) a constant pressure of 50 MPa throughout the sintering process, 3) an on/off pulse sequence of 12:2 (pulse duration: 2.78 ms), and 4) a final sintering temperature of $1500^{\circ}C$ at a speed of $100^{\circ}C$/min and sintering for 5 min at $1500^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1254_1255
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• 2009

The composites were fabricated by adding 30, 35, 40, 45[vol.%] Zirconium Diboride(hereafter, $ZrB_2$) powders as a second phase to Silicon Carbide(hereafter, SiC) matrix. The physical, mechanical and electrical properties of electroconductive SiC ceramic composites by Spark Plasma Sintering(hereafter, SPS) were examined. Reactions between $\beta$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed in the XRD analysis. The relative density of SiC+30[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+35[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+40[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites are 88.64[%], 76.80[%], 79.09[%] and 88.12[%], respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the electroconductive SiC ceramic composites reveals high of SiC and $ZrB_2$ and low of $ZrO_2$ phase. The electrical resistivity of SiC+30[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+35[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+40[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites are $6.74{\times}10^{-4}$, $4.56{\times}10^{-3}$, $1.92{\times}10^{-3}$ and $4.95{\times}10^{-3}[{\Omega}{\cdot}cm]$ at room temperature, respectively. The electrical resistivity of SiC+30[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+35[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+40[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ are Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistance(hereafter, PTCR) in temperature ranges from 25[$^{\circ}C$] to 500[$^{\circ}C$]. It is convinced that SiC+40[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composite by SPS can be applied for heater or electrode.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.538-545
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• 2009

The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were fabricated by combining 30, 35, 40 and 45vol.% of Zirconium Diboride (hereafter, $ZrB_2$) powders with Silicon Carbide (hereafter, SiC) matrix. The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites, the sintered compacts, were produced through Spark Plasma Sintering (hereafter, SPS), and its physical, electrical, and mechanical properties were examined. Also, the thermal image analysis of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites was examined. Reactions between $\beta$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed via X-Ray Diffractometer (hereafter, XRD) analysis. The relative density of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$, and SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were 88.64%, 76.80%, 79.09% and 88.12%, respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the sintered compacts demonstrated high phase of SiC and $ZrB_2$ but low phase of $ZrO_2$. Among the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites, the SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the lowest flexural strength, 148.49MPa, and the SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the highest flexural strength, 204.85MPa, at room temperature. The electrical resistivities of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were $6.74\times10^{-4}$, $4.56\times10^{-3}$, $1.92\times10^{-3}$, and $4.95\times10^{-3}\Omega{\cdot}cm$ at room temperature, respectively. The electrical resistivities of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$ SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites had Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistance (hereafter, PTCR) in the temperature range from $25^{\circ}C$ to $500^{\circ}C$. The V-I characteristics of the SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had a linear shape. Therefore, it is considered that the SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite containing the most outstanding mechanical properties, high resistance temperature coefficient and PTCR characteristics among the sintered compacts can be used as an energy friendly ceramic heater or electrode material through SPS.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.250-254
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• 2002

Intergranular corrosion of austenitic stainless steels is a conventional and momentous problem during welding and high temperature use. One of the major reasons for such intergranular corrosion is so-called sensitization, i.e., chromium depletion due to chromium carbide precipitation at grain boundaries. Conventional methods for preventing sensitization of austenitic stainless steels include reduction of carbon content in the material, stabilization of carbon atoms as non-chromium carbides by the addition of titanium, niobium or zirconium, local solution-heat-treatment by laser beam, etc. These methods, however, are not without drawbacks. Recent grain boundary structure studies have demonstrated that grain boundary phenomena strongly depend on the crystallographic nature and atomic structure of the grain boundary, and that grain boundaries with coincidence site lattices are immune to intergranular corrosion. The concept of "grain boundary design and control", which involves a desirable grain boundary character distribution, has been developed as grain boundary engineering. The feasibility of grain boundary engineering has been demonstrated mainly by thermomechanical treatments. In the present study, a thermomechanical treatment was tried to improve the resistance to the sensitization by grain boundary engineering. A type 304 austenitic stainless steel was pre-strained and heat-treated, and then sensitized, varying the parameters (pre-strain, temperature, time, etc.) during the thermomechanical treatment. The grain boundary character distribution was examined by orientation imaging microscopy. The intergranular corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation and ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid tests. The sensitivity to intergranular corrosion was reduced by the thermomechanical treatment and indicated a minimum at a small roll-reduction. The frequency of coincidence-site-lattice boundaries indicated a maximum at a small strain. The ferric sulfate-sulfuric acid test showed much smaller corrosion rate in the thermomechanically-treated specimen than in the base material. An excellent intergranular corrosion resistance was obtained by a small strain annealing at a relatively low temperature for long time. The optimum parameters created a uniform distribution of a high frequency of coincidence site lattice boundaries in the specimen where corrosive random boundaries were isolated. The results suggest that the thermomechanical treatment can introduce low energy segments in the grain boundary network by annealing twins and can arrest the percolation of intergranular corrosion from the surface.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.9
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• pp.1757-1763
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• 2009

The composites were fabricated by adding 0, 15, 20, 25[vol.%] Zirconium Diboride(hereafter, $ZrB_2$) powders as a second phase to Silicon Carbide(hereafter, SiC) matrix. The physical, mechanical and electrical properties of electroconductive SiC ceramic composites by Spark Plasma Sintering(hereafter, SPS) were examined. Reactions between ${\beta}-SiC$ and $ZrB_2$ were not observed in the XRD analysis. The relative density of mono SiC, SiC+15[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+25[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites are 90.93[%], 74.62[%], 74.99[%] and 72.61[%], respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the electroconductive SiC ceramic composites reveals high of SiC and $ZrB_2$ and low of $ZrO_2$ phase. The lowest flexural strength, 108.79[MPa], shown in SiC+15[vol.%] $ZrB_2$ composite and the highest - 220.15[MPa] - in SiC+20[vol.%] $ZrB_2$composite at room temperature. The trend of the mechanical properties of the electroconductive SiC ceramic composites moves in accord with that of the relative density. The electrical resistivities of mono SiC, SiC+15[vol.%]$ZrB_2$, SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+25[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composites are 4.57${\times}10^{-1}$, 2.13${\times}10^{-1}$, 1.53${\times}10^{-1}$ and 6.37${\times}10^{-2}$[${\Omega}$ cm] at room temperature, respectively. The electrical resistivity of mono SiC, SiC+15[vol.%]$ZrB_2$. SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ and SiC+25[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ are Negative Temperature Coefficient Resistance(hereafter, NTCR) in temperature ranges from 25[$^{\circ}C$] to 100[$^{\circ}C$]. The declination of V-I characteristics of SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composite is 3.72${\times}10^{-1}$. It is convinced that SiC+20[vol.%]$ZrB_2$ composite by SPS can be applied for heater or electrode above 1000[$^{\circ}C$]

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.342-351
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• 2010

The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were fabricated by combining 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 vol. % of zirconium diboride ($ZrB_2$) powders with silicon carbide (SiC) matrix. The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites and the sintered compacts were produced through spark plasma sintering (SPS) under argon atmosphere, and its physical, electrical, and mechanical properties were examined. Also, the thermal image analysis of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites was examined. Reactions between $\beta$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed via x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The apparent porosity of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were 7.2546, 0.8920, 0.6038, 1.0981, and 10.0108%, respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the sintered compacts demonstrated a high phase of SiC and $ZrB_2$. Among the $SiC+ZrB_2$ composites, the SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the lowest flexural strength, 290.54MPa, the other composites had more than 980MPa flexural strength except the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite; the SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the highest flexural strength, 1011.34MPa, at room temperature. The electrical properties of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had positive temperature coefficient resistance (PTCR). The V-I characteristics of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had a linear shape in the temperature range from room to $500^{\circ}C$. The electrical resistivities of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were $4.573\times10^{-3}$, $1.554\times10^{-3}$, $9.365\times10^{-4}$, $6.999\times10^{-4}$, and $6.069\times10^{-4}\Omega{\cdot}cm$, respectively, at room temperature, and their resistance temperature coefficients were $1.896\times10^{-3}$, $3.064\times10^{-3}$, $3.169\times10^{-3}$, $3.097\times10^{-3}$, and $3.418\times10^{-3}/^{\circ}C$ in the temperature range from room to $500^{\circ}C$, respectively. Therefore, it is considered that among the sintered compacts the SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites containing the most outstanding mechanical properties as well as PTCR and V-I characteristics can be used as an energy friendly ceramic heater or ohmic-contact electrode material through SPS.