Facile synthesis and morphological study of Si-Zr-C-O fiber felts with high-thermal resistance

Abstract

The polycarbosilane (PCS) as a ceramic precursor is mainly synthesized using an autoclave and is modified via the reflux method to add organometallic compounds. However, in this study, a zirconium source was added to PCS in order to improve the heat resistance of the polymer-derived SiC fibers using an easy and simple blending method. The zirconium-added PCS solution was spun via electrospinning and converted to Si-Zr-C-O fiber felts at 1300 degrees C through the processes of curing and pyrolysis. In order to investigate their thermal-degradation behavior, the zirconium added SiC fiber felts were heat-treated at 1500 degrees C or 1600 degrees C for 1 h in an Ar atmosphere. The results indicated that the aforementioned felts retained blackness and flexibility, whereas SiC fiber felts deteriorated and were discolored to gray. Moreover, the results confirmed that the growth of crystalline size (approximately calculated via XRD analysis) was significantly inhibited by the presence of zirconium. Therefore, zirconium acetylacetonate as a zirconium source was cross-linked with the PCS structure via the blending method and its role for heat resistance was exhibited at high temperature.