Microstructure, phase and thermoelastic properties of laminated liquid-phase-sintered silicon carbide-titanium carbide ceramic composites

Hot-pressed silicon carbide-titanium carbide (SiC-TiC) composites sintered with liquid-phase forming Al2O3 and Y2O3 mixtures have been studied. Samples were fabricated by successively stacking tape-cast sheets of a single composition, resulting in a laminated body of uniform composition. This approach required the development of a technology easily transferable into the production of functionally graded SiC-TiC materials. The effects of this processing route on the resultant microstructures and phases were explored in detail. Additionally, because of the consequences for graded materials, the effects of TiC proportion on the thermal expansion coefficients, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratios for several SiC-TiC composites were also determined.