Ultrafast high-temperature sintering of reaction-bonded SiC with Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ sintering additives

SiC is a crucial structural ceramic, but densification requires very high temperatures, long processing times, and high pressures. This study explores ultrafast high-temperature sintering (UHS) to produce dense reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) in a few minutes. By adding varying amounts of Si and C with Y₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ additives, RBSC with up to 90 % relative density was achieved in 8 min. Microstructural analysis showed grain growth from 4.26 µm to 15.43 µm and minimal unreacted Si and C. Although there are some challenges to overcome such as incomplete densification and secondary phase evaporation, this study demonstrates that UHS is a promising technique for efficiently producing dense RBSC.