New advanced SiC-based composite materials for use in highly oxidizing environments: Synthesis of SiC/IrSi3

Currently, MMCs with SiC as reinforcement emerge as ideal candidates for long-term stable devices withstanding high temperatures and harsh operating environments which are typical for many industrial sectors, such as energy, aerospace, electronics, catalysis, etc. However, the costly manufacture of such composites is the major restraint to make them marketable.

In this paper, highly-dense, nearly-shaped SiC/IrSi₃ composites effortless produced at T = 1250 °C under a vacuum by reactive melt infiltration of liquid Si-62 wt%Ir eutectic alloy into bimodal SiC_p-C porous preforms, are presented. The replacement of unreacted detrimental Si by a tougher and less oxidizing intermetallic phase (IrSi₃) was successfully obtained.