Study of microstructure and properties of SiCf/SiC-Zr composite cladding prepared through PIP

As one of the new research direction of the fourth generation cladding material, the interface strength of SiCf/ SiC-Zr and the sustain properties of Zr alloy is the key point of the research. The study utilizes the third generation SiC fiber to form the 2.5D wave structure among the outside layer of Zr alloy tube and prepare the SiCf/ SiC-Zr composite material cladding tube with PyC interface through PIP. Then the boundary adhesion properties as well as the influence of PIP on the Zr alloy tube are studied in the paper. The results show that SiCf/SiC-Zr composite cladding has the density of 3.73 similar to 3.95 g/cm(3), air tightness of 9.82 x 10(-10) Pa center dot m(3)/s and boundary adhesion of 80 N/mm. With the increase cycle time of PIP process, the grain grow gradually into columnar grain appearing segregation and bad effect phase and micro crack. All of this will lead to the brittleness of Zr alloy. The degradation of SiCf/SiC-Zr physical properties is due to the shrink of micro defects and the failure of Zr alloy tube.