Synthesis of nanosized zirconium carbide (ZrC) by a polymeric precursor route

Based on the basic principle of carbothermal reduction reactions in the ZrO2-C system, nanosized ZrC powders were synthesized by the preceramic method using Polyzirconoxane (PZO) and salicyl alcohol (SA) as sources of zirconia and carbon respectively. The obtained polymeric precursor exhibited excellent solubility and rheology for the processing of ceramic matrix composites. Thermal dynamic change process, phase composition, crystallite size and morphology of the synthesized powders were characterized by Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). When heat-treated at 900 degrees C under flowing argon, precursors transformed into intimately mixed amorphous carbon and nanosized tetragonal ZrO2. Further heat treatments (1300 degrees C) led to the formation of zirconium carbide with a yield of 70.6 %. The obtained ZrC particles exhibit cubic morphology with size ranged in 50-100 nm. This study displays the preparation of nanosized ZrC materials from the preceramic polymers.