Abstract:
To address the issue of excessively high joining temperatures of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics in the traditional nano-infiltrated transient eutectic (NITE) method, a method utilizing spark plasma sintering (SPS) diffusion bonding with a SiC-based interlayer containing YF
3 powder was proposed to reduce the joining temperature. The effects of joining temperature, holding time, and YF
3 content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints were investigated. The results indicate that increasing the joining temperature and holding time significantly enhances the densification of the interlayer powder and improves the mechanical properties of the joints. The interlayer is primarily composed of 3C-SiC, along with phases such as Si-rich SiC
1 − x, C-rich SiC
1 + x, Y
xC
y, and Y
xSi
yC
z. The phase composition of the joints is influenced by the joining process. With increasing YF
3 content, Y
xSi
yC
z initially forms, followed by the precipitation of Y
xC
y and a decrease in the amount but an increase in the size of Y
xSi
yC
z. Consequently, the densification and strength of the joints first increase and then decrease, while the hardness gradually increases. Under the optimal joining process (1 750 °C/10 min/5% YF
3), the hardness of the interlayer reaches 2 013.1 HV ± 74.1 HV, comparable to that of the base material. The room-temperature shear strength is 181.9 MPa ± 55.2 MPa, and fracture occurs within the base material.