The toughening design of multi-layer antioxidation coating on C/C matrix via SiC-SiCw transition layer grown in-situ

Abstract Poor antioxidant and thermal-shock capacities of C/C composites thermal barrier coating (TBC) caused by cracking and shedding of coatings has been a major obstacle blocking the development of C/C composites. Herein, in-situ growth of whisker reinforced silicon carbide transition layer and inter-embedding mechanism of multi-gradient coatings were brought into the design of TBC to enhance the antioxidant and thermal-shock capacities. A three-layer gradient coating SiC-SiCw/ZrB2-SiC/ZrSiO4-aluminosilicate glass (ZAG) from inside to outside, in which ZrB2-SiC/ZAG serve as oxygen barrier layers with self-healing ability and SiC-SiCw provides thermal stress buffering and bonding against cracking and shedding of coatings, is designed. The ZAG mainly forms a dense oxygen blocking frontier with self-healing ability through fluidized glass, while the ZrB2-SiC can react actively with infiltrated oxygen in a way of self-sacrifice, preventing oxygen erosion to C/C matrix and SiC-SiCw transition layer. As a result, the collaborative work among layers endows this coating with excellent high temperature service performance. This work provides a new insight for the design of excellent TBC.