Reactive sintering of 2.5D Cf/ZrC-SiC ceramic matrix composite.

• Reactive spark plasma sintering was successfully employed to densify continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites at lower temperatures. • Reactive precursors, carbon and ZrSi 2 powders, were homogenously introduced into Cf preform by a combined injection and impregnation. • Thin ceramic layers could be formed in-situ on the upper and lower surfaces of the Cf/ZrC-SiC composites after SPS. • The mechanical properties of as-obtained Cf/ZrC-SiC composite depends on the starting carbon to ZrSi 2 molar ratio. In this work, a novel approach to rapidly densify ceramic matrix composite was developed by combining ceramic and composite processing. Cf preform, which was injected and impregnated with slurries containing ZrSi 2 and phenolic resin, was consolidated by spark plasma sintering at 1550 °C/50 MPa for 5 min. During densification, ZrSi 2 and resin carbon converted to ZrC and SiC, newly formed particles were incorporated in the preform preferentially in the fiber randomly orientated layer. Although all the composites exhibit non-brittle fracture manner, their flexural strength and toughness only reach maximum in the sample with a carbon to ZrSi 2 molar ratio of 3:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]