Oxidation mechanism of a ZrB2–SiC–ZrC ceramic heated through high frequency induction at 1600 °C

Abstract In the present work, isothermal oxidation of a ZrB 2 –(20 vol.%) SiC–(6 vol.%) ZrC (ZrB 2 –SiC–ZrC) ceramic was carried out at a constant temperature of 1600 ± 15 °C in static air, and the microstructures of the surface and fractured surface of the oxidised specimen were observed using SEM. The change curve of weight change/unit area with increasing oxidation time was composed of four stages according to the increase in the oxidation time: initial, middle, middle-late and late. In the different stages, a mathematical model was formulated to interpret the oxidation behaviour of the ZrB 2 –SiC–ZrC ceramic at high temperature.