Morphology and Formation Mechanism of TaC Made by Liquid Phase Infiltration Method in C/C Composites

C/C composites were infiltrated with tantalum-contained organic solution, solidified and thermally treated to produce C/C-TaC composites. The results show that tantalum-contained organic solution easily infiltrates C/C composites and solidifies under 2MPa pressure. After treated at 1500℃, tantalum-contained organic solution tantalum completely turns into TaC with fine sizes and high crystallization, distributing on the layers of pyrolytic carbon with grains or clusters. The morphology of TaC made at 1800℃ and 2000℃ is analogous with that of made at 1500℃ and the grain size of TaC doesn't grow up obviously. The mechanism research of tantalum-contained organic solution turning into TaC shows that it first turns into tantalum oxide fluoride, a kind of interphase, then Ta2O5 ultimately reduced and compounded by carbon into TaC.