C/C–SiC composite fabricated via PCS –Si slurry reactive melt infiltration

Abstract The slurry reactive melt infiltration ( RMI ) method was used to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional RMI method utilized in preparing the large‐irregular shaped C/C preform. C/C–SiC composite was successfully fabricated via PCS –Si slurry RMI . Results show that it has a favorable physical bonding between the PCS –Si slurry and the C/C preform. After RMI , most of the Si in the PCS –Si slurry coating infiltrated into the C/C preform, the density of the C/C preform increased from 1.24 to 1.52g cm ⁻³ , and the open porosity decreased from 27.22% to 18.04%. SiC was formed on the surface as well as in the pores of the C/C preform. The as‐received C/C–SiC composite showed a pseudo‐ductile fracture behavior with a flexural strength of 76.4 MP a. The mass ablation rate of the C/C–SiC composite is 0.34 mg s ⁻¹ , exhibiting much better ablation resistance than the C/C preform with a mass ablation rate of 1.80 mg s ⁻¹ .