Journal of Science  and Technology of Composites

Journal of Science and Technology of Composites

Investigation the Effect of Chemical Composition of Additives on Physical, Mechanical and Structural Properties of SiC-TiB2 Nanocomposites Reinforced by Graphene Quantum Dot Nanoparticles (GQD)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Department of Material Engineering, Amirkabir University and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Material Engineering, Malek-e-Ashtar University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22068/jstc.2026.2083517.1950
Abstract
This research focuses on the production of silicon carbide matrix composites and investigates the addition of titanium diboride and graphene quantum dots (GQD) to enhance mechanical, physical, and structural properties. The aim of this research is to produce SiC-TiB2-GQD composites with high physical and mechanical properties such as fracture toughness and Young's modulus higher than pure silicon carbide. The experimental design was carried out using the Taguchi method and finally 23 samples with different chemical compositions were prepared and the final sapmples were produced in the form of tablets after hydraulic pressing. The samples produced with different amounts of additives and also the appropriate amount of silicon carbide matrix powder were prepared and subjected to sintering at 21500C. By examining microstructure, fractography, mechanical and physical properties, the optimal conditions for producing these composites were determined. Finally, the highest fracture toughness (6.13MPa.m1/2) and Young's modulus (523MPa) were obtained for the sample containing 20 wt% TiB2 and 0.3 wt% GQD.
Keywords
Subjects

[1] Liu, J., Li, Y., Cheng, C.,Li, W., "Effect of TiB2 content on microstructure and mechanical properties of SiC composite ceramics by solid-state spark plasma sintering", Journal of the Australian Ceramic Society, No.3, pp 971-978, 2024.
[2] Mercurio Jr, S.R.,"Effect of coprecipitation of sintering aids on the microstructure and grain boundary development of sintered silicon carbide", Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, School of Graduate Studies, 2011.
[3] Omori, M., Takei, H., "Pressureless Sintering of SiC", J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 65 (n.d.) c92–c92, No.10, 2015.
[4] Du, Y., Schuster, J. C., Seifert, H. J.,Aldinger, F,. "Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculation of the titanium–silicon–carbon system", Journal of the American Ceramic Society, No. 83.1 ,2000.
[5] Lee, S.K., Kim, C.H., "Effects of α-Sic versus β-Sic Starting Powders on Microstructure and Fracture Toughness of Sic Sintered with Al2O3-Y2O3 Additives", J. Am. Ceram. Soc, No.131, pp 1655–1658, 2014.
[6] Kovalčíková, A., Tatarko, P., Sedlák, R., Medveď, D., Chlup, Z., Múdra, E., Dusza, J., "Mechanical and tribological properties of TiB2-SiC and TiB2-SiC-GNPs ceramic composites", J. Eur. Ceram. Soc, pp 40,4860–4871, 2020.
[7] Liu, J., Li, Y., Cheng, C., Li, W., & Qin, X., "Effect of temperature on the structure and mechanical properties of SiC–TiB2 composite ceramics by solid-phase spark plasma sintering", Ceramics International, No. 48, pp 23151-23158, 2022.
[8] Kheyrinia, L., Baharvandi, H. R., Ehsani, N.,Yaghobizadeh, O.,"Fabrication of SiC bodies by optimized gel-casting method",  International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, No. 81, pp 225-232, 2019.
[9] Kheyrinia, L., Baharvandi, H. R., Ehsani, N.,Yaghobizadeh, O.,"Fabrication and Properties of a Gel-Cast Dense Silicon Carbide Body", Silicon, No. 14.6, pp 2521-2532, 2022.
[10] Vajdi, M., Sadegh Moghanlou, F., Nekahi, S., Ahmadi, Z., Motallebzadeh, A., Jafarzadeh, H., Shahedi Asl, M., "Role of graphene nano-platelets on thermal conductivity and microstructure of TiB2–SiC ceramics",Ceram. Int, No. 46, pp 21775–21783, 2020.
[11]  Khodaei, M., Yaghobizadeh, O., Baharvandi, H.R., Dashti, A., "Effects of different sintering methods on the properties of SiC-TiC, SiC-TiB2 composites", Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater, No. 70, pp 19–31, 2018.
[12]  Pereira dos Santos Tonello, K., Padovano, E., Badini, C., Biamino, S., Pavese, M., Fino, P., "Fabrication and characterization of laminated SiC composites reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets", Mater. Sci. Eng, No.659, pp158–164, 2016.
[13] Nieto, A., Bisht, A., Lahiri, D., Zhang, C., Agarwal, A., "Graphene reinforced metal and ceramic matrix composites": a review, Int. Mater. Rev, No. 62, pp 241–302, 2017.
[14] Kim, D.H., Kim, W.K., Woo, S.J., Wu, C., Kim, T.W., "Highly-reproducible nonvolatile memristive devices based on polyvinylpyrrolidone: Graphene quantum-dot nanocomposites", Org. Electron, No 17, 2017.
[15] Bhatnagar, D., Kaur, I., Kumar, A., "Ultrasensitive cardiac troponin I antibody based nanohybrid sensor for rapid detection of human heart attack", Int. J. Biol. Macromol, 2017.
[16] Gupta, S., Kaushal, A., Kumar, A., Kumar, D., "Ultrasensitive transglutaminase based nanosensor for early detection of celiac disease in human", Int. J. Biol. Macromol, pp 905–911, 2017.
[17] Riedl, R., "Handbook of ceramic hard materials", Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 2000.
[18] Tanaka, H., Inomata, Y., "Normal sintering of Al-doped β-SiC", J. Mater, pp 315–317, 1985.
[19] Kim, K.J., Eom, J.-H., Kim, Y.-W., Seo, W.-S., Lee, M.-J., Hwang, S.S., "Highly resistive SiC ceramics sintered with Al2O3- AlN-Y2O3 additions", Ceram. Int, pp 5343–5346, 2017.
[20] Khodaei, M., Yaghobizadeh, O., Ehsani, N., Baharvandi, H.R., Dashti, A., "The effect of TiO2 additive on sinterability and properties of SiC-Al2O3-Y2O3 composite system", Ceram. Int, pp 16535–16645, 2018.
[21] Raju, K., Yoon, D.-H., "Sintering additives for SiC based on the reactivity: A review", Ceram. Int, pp 17947–17962, 2016.
[22] Magnani, G., Sico, G., Brentari, A., Fabbri, P., "Solid-state pressureless sintering of silicon carbide below 2000°C", J. Eur. Ceram. Soc, pp 344095–4098,2014.
[23] Suri, A.K., Subramanian, C., Sonber, J.K., Murthy, T.S.R.C., "Synthesis and consolidation of boron carbide: a review", Int. Mater, No. 55, pp 4–40, 2010.
[24] Liu, C.-Y., Tuan, W.-H., Chen, S.-C., "Ballistic performance of liquid-phase sintered silicon carbide", Ceram. Int, No. 39, pp 8253–8259, 2013.
[25] Tani, Toshihiko., "Processing, microstructure and properties of in-situ reinforced SiC matrix composites." Composites part A: Applied science and manufacturing, No. 4, pp 419-423, 1999.
[26] Omar, M. F., Ismail, A. K., Sumpono, I., Alim, E. A., Nawi, M. N., Mukri, M. A. R., Sakrani, S. "FTIR spectroscopy characterization of Si-C bonding in SiC thin film prepared at room temperature by conventional 13.56 MHz RF PECVD", Malaysian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, No. 8(4), 2012.
[27] Krishnamurthy, S., "Analysis of SCS-6 silicon carbide fibers by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy", Journal of materials research, No. 12.2, pp 329-331, 1997.
[28] Barghout N, Kashyout AE, Ibrahim MA, El Nemr A, "Novel Synthesis of SiC-SiO2 Nanotubes from Cinachyrella sp. and Its Improvement of the Corrosion Resistance of Low Carbon Steel in 3.5% NaCl Water Solution", Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, No.32(23), pp 10857-76, 2023.
[29] Colthup, Norman. "Introduction to infrared and Raman spectroscopy", Elsevier, 2012.
[30] Popov, Oleksii, et al. "Influence of reduced graphene oxide and T. Tani, Processing., "microstructure and properties of in-situ reinforced SiC matrix composites", Compos. Part A Appl, No.30, pp 419–423, 1999.
[31] Trikkaliotis, D. G., Christoforidis, A. K., Mitropoulos, A. C., Kyzas, G. Z, Graphene oxide synthesis,"properties and characterization techniques: a comprehensive review", ChemEngineering,  No. 5(3), pp64, 2021.
 [32] Donato, K. Z., Tan, H. L., Marangoni, V. S., Martins, M. V., Ng, P. R., Costa, M. C., Castro Neto, A. H., "Graphene oxide classification and standardization", Scientific Reports, No. 13(1), pp 6064, 2023.
[33] Kovalčíková, A., Tatarko, P., Sedlak, R., Medveď, D., Chlup, Z., Múdra, E., & Dusza, J., "Mechanical and tribological properties of TiB2-SiC and TiB2-SiC-GNPs ceramic composites", Journal of the European Ceramic Society, No. 40(14), pp 4860-4871, 2020.
 
[34] Ovid'Ko, I. A., "Metal-graphene nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties: a review", Reviews on Advanced Materials Science, No. 38, 2014.
[35] Madhankumar, A., Anthony Xavior., "Graphene reinforced ceramic matrix composite (GRCMC)–state of the art", Engineering Research Express 6, No. 2, 2024.
[36] Asl, M. S., Ahmadi, Z., Moghanlou, F. S., Vajdi, M., & Shokouhimehr, M. , 'Nanocharacterization of spark plasma sintered TiB2–SiC–graphene composites", Materials Characterization, PP 189- 198, 2022.
[37] Zeinedini A, Shokrieh MM. "Agglomeration phenomenon in graphene/polymer nanocomposites: Reasons, roles, and remedies", Applied Physics Reviews, 2024.
[38] Zeinedini A, Shokrieh MM, Ebrahimi A. "The effect of agglomeration on the fracture toughness of CNTs-reinforced nanocomposites", Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, No.8 2018.
[39] Zeinedini A., "Fracture toughness of graphene/polymer nanocomposites: well dispersion, agglomeration and toughening mechanisms", Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, No.13, 2024.