Surface mechanical and electrochemical properties of zirconium oxide embedded silicon carbonitride ceramic composite film by polysilazane preceramic precursor.

Wet chemical and pyrolytic process is used to reduce zirconium oxide uniformly distributed in liquidic polysilazane preceramic precursor via sodium borohydride and zirconium n-propoxide to form zirconium oxide embedded silicon carbonitride (ZrO 2 -SiCN(O)) ceramic composite film. Its average hardness (H*) and modulus of elasticity (E *) achieve 11.54 GPa and 101.2 GPa, respectively. Its index of elastic strain to failure, H* /E * and fracture toughness index, H* 3 /E * 2 can reach 0.114 and 0.115 GPa. The average hardness and reduced modulus of elasticity are enhanced 25.2% and 30.2% as ZrO 2 embedded in SiCN(O) ceramic film. The copper foam is coated with SiCN(O) ceramic film as the working electrode whose corrosion potential achieve 0.52 V that is 23 times higher than that of the pure copper foam. Its lowest current density is 7.42 × 10−7 A m−2 that is one hundredth of the pure copper foam as the working electrode. [Display omitted] • Strong electrochemical-mechanical coating, ZrO 2 -SiCN(O) is developed. • Its average hardness and modulus of ZrO-SiCN(O) coating achieve 11.54 and 101.2 GPa. • Its average hardness and modulus are enhanced 25.2% and 30.2% as ZrO embedded. • Corrosion potential and rate of SiCN(O)/Cu are 0.52 V and 7.56μmyear−1,respectively • The lowest current density of SiCN(O)/Cu electrode is 7.42 × 10−7Am−2via Tafel curve [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]