Élaboration et étude des propriétés thermomécaniques de composites à matrice SiC nanostructurée renforcée par des nanotubes de carbone

摘要

Ceramic carbides materials such as SiC, due to their refractory nature and their low neutron absorption are believed to be promising candidates for high temperature nuclear or aerospace applications. However, SiC brittleness has limited its structural application. In this context this work examines in a first part the possibilities to perform dense nanostructured SiC matrix by SPS without the use of sintering additive. Indeed a reduction of grain size (below 100 nm) accompanied by a high final density seem to be the solutions to counteract the brittleness and thus to improve mechanical properties. Dense (95%) and nanostructured (grain size around 100 nm) SiC samples were obtained thanks to the realization of an effective dispersion technique and the study on the sintering parameters effect. High hardness (2200 Hv) and decent fracture toughness (3.0 MPa.m1/2) were achieved. This first work also showed the preponderant influence of recurrent pollutants (oxygen and carbon) found in SiC powders on the final microstructure and mechanical properties of sintered samples. The oxygen as silica or silicon oxycarbide seems to promote densification mechanisms while free carbon (3.5%wt) causes lower grain size and densification state. Mechanical properties with carbon are also negatively impacted (950 Hv and 2.4 MPa.m1/2). Such degradation is due by the specific localization of carbon structure between the grains. In return of the expected mechanical properties improvement by reducing the grain size, the thermal conductivity is drastically decrease of due to the phonon scattering at the grain boundaries. With the aim of reducing this effect, a second study was initiated by introducing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the SiC matrix. The MWCNTs by exhibiting a high toughness could also help to enhance the mechanical properties. Green bodies with different amounts of well dispersed MWCNTs (0%wt to 5%wt) were realized. Like free carbon, MWCNTs are located between the grains and induce a reduction of grain size. However the appearance of CNTs percolation for an amount above 1%wt, with the SPS sintering technique, allows an improvement of densification up to 97%. Hardness (up to 2550 Hv) and fracture toughness (4.0 MPa.m1/2) are also achieved with the SiC/NTC composites. Despite the good thermal properties of MWCNTs, the increase of grain boundary decreases the thermal conductivity of these composites.