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Abstract Various SiC-ZrB2-ZrC ceramics were joined by fusion welding to determine the maximum silicon carbide content that could be joined. Commercial powders were hot pressed, machined, and preheated to 1450… Click to show full abstract
Abstract Various SiC-ZrB2-ZrC ceramics were joined by fusion welding to determine the maximum silicon carbide content that could be joined. Commercial powders were hot pressed, machined, and preheated to 1450 °C before joining with a tungsten inert gas welding torch at 160–200 A. Resulting welds were cross-sectioned and analyzed to determine which compositions were weldable and to characterize microstructural evolution in welded samples. As compositions approached the ternary eutectic, the welds had smaller SiC grains and exhibited better weldability. Penetration depth of welds was controlled by a combination of current input and welding speed. The ternary eutectic in the system was found at 36.9 ± 1.3 vol% SiC, 42.7 ± 1.5 vol% ZrB2, and 20.4 ± 1.9 vol% ZrC and its melting temperature was 2330 ± 23 °C. A ternary phase diagram for the SiC-ZrB2-ZrC was constructed and proposed via microstructural analysis of arc melted pellets on binary joins between each binary eutectic and the ternary eutectic in the system.