High-temperature internal friction, stiffness and strength of Zr–Al(Si)–C ceramics

The temperature dependence of internal friction, stiffness and strength of Zr-Al(Si)-C ceramics was studied. For glass-free Zr-Al(Si)-C ceramics, the internal friction curve followed an exponential-like background. For liquid-phase-sintered Zr(3)Al(3)C(5), an internal peak present at 1590 K revealed the grain-boundary sliding due to wetting of glass phase at grain boundaries and triple junctions. Zr-Al(Si)-C ceramics exhibited high degrees of stiffness and strength at high temperatures up to 1600 and 1400 degrees C, respectively, which render them good high-temperature structural materials. (c) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.