SiC-nanowire-reinforced SiCf/SiC composites were successfully fabricated through an in situ growth of SiC nanowires on SiC fibres via chemical vapour infiltration. The dielectric and microwave ...absorption properties of the composites were investigated within the frequency range of 8.2–12.4 GHz at 25–600 °C. The electric conductivity and complex permittivity of the composites displayed evident temperature-dependent behaviour and were enhanced with increasing temperature. The composites exhibited superior microwave absorption abilities with a minimum reflection loss value of −47.5 dB at 11.4 GHz and an effective bandwidth of 2.8 GHz at 600 °C. Apart from the contribution of the interconnected SiC nanowire network and multiple reflections, the excellent microwave absorption performance was attributed to dielectric loss that originated from SiC nanowires with abundant stacking faults and heterostructure interfaces. Results suggested that the composites are promising candidates for high-temperature microwave absorbing materials.
The influence of high-temperature argon heat-treatment on the microstructure and room- temperature in-plane tensile properties of 2D woven CVI and 2D unidirectional MI SiC/SiC composites with ...Hi-Nicalon™-S SiC fibers was investigated. The 2D woven CVI SiC/SiC composites were heat-treated between 1200 and 1600 °C for 1- and 100-hr, and the 2D unidirectional MI SiC/SiC composites between 1315 and 1400 °C for up to 2000 hr. In addition, the influence of temperature on fast fracture tensile strengths of these composites was also measured in air. Both composites exhibited different degradation behaviors. In 2D woven CVI SiC/SiC composites, the CVI BN interface coating reacted with Hi-Nicalon™-S SiC fibers causing a loss in fast fracture ultimate tensile strengths between 1200 and 1600 °C as well as after 100-hr isothermal heat treatment at temperatures > 1100 °C. In contrast, 2D unidirectional MI SiC/SiC composites showed no significant loss in in-plane tensile properties after the fast fracture tensile tests at 1315 °C. However, after isothermal exposure conditions from 1315° to 1400°C, the in-plane proportional limit stress decreased, and the ultimate tensile fracture strain increased with an increase in exposure time. The mechanisms of strength degradation in both composites are discussed.
•Determining intrinsic thermal stability of CVI and MI SiC/SiC composites with Hi-Nicalon-S fibers at temperatures to 16000C in argon.•Determining the strength and microstructural stability, and failure mechanisms of the composites.•Understanding the influence of residual stress on in-plane tensile properties.•Suggesting possible methods of improving thermally stability CVI SiC/SiC composites with Hi-Nicalon-S fibers.
SiC merged reverse conductive (MRC) power devices composed of both unipolar devices and bipolar devices have been developed to achieve a smaller chip size, a lower power loss, and a higher ...reliability. SiC MRC power devices such as SiC MRC‐MOSFET and SiC MRC‐IGBT can achieve this performance, but have the problems of on‐voltage degradation and a large snap‐back voltage. The former has been solved by the newly developed majority carrier heating‐TEDREC (MaCH‐TEDREC) method and the latter has been solved by both the newly developed double buffer device structure and novel standard cells with pilot IGBT.
This manuscript presents the fuel performance analysis results of the General Atomics Fast Modular Reactor (FMR) based on an axi-symmetric (2D-RZ) geometry. Three fuel performance model sets that fit ...the FMR fuel specifications best, i.e., a BISON baseline model set, a BISON diffusion enhancement model set, and a BISON-FASTGRASS model set, were identified and evaluated against a series of relevant experimental cases featuring high burnup and low irradiation temperature conditions. The three BISON-based model sets were then utilized to conduct a comprehensive fuel performance analysis of the FMR fuel under normal operation including the shutdown/restarting periods for refueling. The evaluation of the fuel performance parameters, represented by temperature, internal pressure, stress, and strain, shows that the FMR fuel maintains its thermal and mechanical integrity during normal operation. Technology gaps and limitations are also discussed to guide future efforts for extending the performance analysis to transient scenarios as well as improving the fuel performance evaluation through experiments.
This study reports on the preparation and mechanical properties of a novel SiCnf/SiC composite. The single crystal SiC nanofiber(SiCnf) reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMC) were ...successfully fabricated by hot pressing the mixture of β-SiC powders, SiCnf and Al–B–C powder. The effects of SiCnf mass fraction as well as the hot-pressing temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of SiCnf/SiC CMC were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that the 15 wt% SiCnf/SiC CMC obtained by hot pressing (HP) at 1850 °C with 30 MPa for 60 min possessed the maximum flexural strength and fracture toughness of 678.2 MPa and 8.33 MPa m1/2, respectively. The nanofibers pull out, nanofibers bridging and cracks deflection were found by scanning electron microscopy, which are believed can strengthen and toughen the SiCnf/SiC CMC via consuming plenty of the fracture energy. Besides, although the relative density of the prepared SiCnf/SiC CMC further increased with the sintering temperature rose to 1900 °C, the further coarsend composites grains results in the deterioration of the mechanical properties for the obtained composites compared to 1850 °C.
Technology-based computer-aided design models have been used to predict the static and dynamic performance of ultrahigh-voltage (UHV) 4H-silicon carbide (SiC) P-i-N diodes, insulated-gate bipolar ...transistors (IGBTs), and gate turn- off (GTO) thyristors designed for 20-50 kV blocking voltage capability. The simulated forward voltage drops of 20-50 kV device designs range between 3.1 and 5.6 V for P-i-N diodes, 4.2-10.0 V for IGBTs, and 3.4-7.8 V for GTO thyristors at 20 A/cm 2 for room temperature operation. Moreover, with a low switching frequency application (i.e., 150 Hz) in mind, the switching energy losses using a 30 kV SiC GTO thyristor design are approximately E ON /E OFF _ GTO = 268/640 mJ, E ON /E OFF _ FWD = 388/6 mJ diode recovery losses, and E ON / E OFF _ SNUB = 954/22 mJ snubber component losses. The corresponding values for an SiC IGBT design are E ON / E OFF _ IGBT = 983/748 mJ, both operated at 448 K, τ A = 20 μs, and with 30 A/cm 2 . The simulation output is used in a benchmark evaluation for a 1 GW, 640 kV application case, employing modular multilevel high-power converter legs comprising series-connected UHV SiC devices and state-of-the-art 4.5 kV Si bi-mode insulated-gate transistors. It is concluded that the high-voltage SiC power electronic building blocks present promising alternatives to existing high-voltage Si device counterparts in terms of system compactness and efficiency.
•A new interface structure of PyC+SiCNWS was prepared on the surface of SiC fiber.•The damage evolution process of SiCf/SiC was analysed by acoustic emission.•The mechanism of influence of SiCNWS on ...the thermal conductivity of 3D-SiCf/SiC composites was analysed.
In this study, SiC nanowires (SiCNWS) were grown in situ on the surface of PyC interface through chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to improve the mechanical characteristics and thermal conductivity of three-dimensional SiCf/SiC composites fabricated via precursor infiltration pyrolysis (PIP). The effect of SiCNWS on the properties of the obtained composites was investigated by comparing them with conventional SiCf/PyC/SiC composites. After the deposition of SiCNWS, the flexural strength of the SiCf/SiC composites was found to increase by 46 %, and the thermal conductivity showed an obvious increase at 25−1000 °C. The energy release of the composites in the damage evolution process was analysed by acoustic emission. The results indicated that the damage evolution process was delayed owing to the decrease in porosity, the crack deflection and bridging of the SiCNWS. Furthermore, the excellent thermal conductivity was attributed to the thermally conductive pathways formed by the SiCNWS in the dense structure.
Silicon carbide (SiC) is being investigated for accident tolerant fuel cladding applications due to its high temperature strength, exceptional stability under irradiation, and reduced oxidation ...compared to Zircaloy under accident conditions. An engineered cladding design combining monolithic SiC and SiC–SiC composite layers could offer a tough, hermetic structure to provide improved performance and safety, with a failure rate comparable to current Zircaloy cladding. Modeling and design efforts require a thorough understanding of the properties and structure of SiC-based cladding. Furthermore, both fabrication and characterization of long, thin-walled SiC–SiC tubes to meet application requirements are challenging. In this work, mechanical and thermal properties of unirradiated, as-fabricated SiC-based cladding structures were measured, and permeability and dimensional control were assessed. In order to account for the tubular geometry of the cladding designs, development and modification of several characterization methods were required.
Interphase plays an important role in the mechanical behavior of SiC/SiC ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs). In this paper, the microstructure and tensile behavior of multilayered (BN/SiC)n coated SiC ...fiber and SiC/SiC minicomposites were investigated. The surface roughness of the original SiC fiber and SiC fiber deposited with multilayered (BN/SiC), (BN/SiC)2, and (BN/SiC)4 (BN/SiC)8 interphase was analyzed through the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Monotonic tensile experiments were conducted for original SiC fiber, SiC fiber with different multilayered (BN/SiC)n interfaces, and SiC/SiC minicomposites. Considering multiple damage mechanisms, e.g., matrix cracking, interface debonding, and fibers failure, a damage-based micromechanical constitutive model was developed to predict the tensile stress-strain response curves. Multiple damage parameters (e.g., matrix cracking stress, saturation matrix crack stress, tensile strength and failure strain, and composite’s tangent modulus) were used to characterize the tensile damage behavior in SiC/SiC minicomposites. Effects of multilayered interphase on the interface shear stress, fiber characteristic strength, tensile damage and fracture behavior, and strength distribution in SiC/SiC minicomposites were analyzed. The deposited multilayered (BN/SiC)n interphase protected the SiC fiber and increased the interface shear stress, fiber characteristic strength, leading to the higher matrix cracking stress, saturation matrix cracking stress, tensile strength and fracture strain.
