Obtaining Bulk SiC Ceramic Samples using Carbon of Various Origins and Evaluating Their Thermophysical Characteristics

This paper presents the results of obtaining bulk silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic samples using the SPS (Spark Plasma Sintering) method with carbon of various origins for the synthesis of the initial SiC powder. A correlation was established between the pore volume in the initial powder, carbon, and the resulting ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed differences in the surface morphology of the samples in terms of pore and channel size. The laser flash method was used to determine the heat capacity and thermal conductivity parameters of the obtained samples in the temperature range of 300–1100 K. It was found that as the temperature increases, the thermal conductivity of all samples decreases and ranges from 20 to 60 W/(m K). The produced ceramics can be used for manufacturing heat-resistant products. The raw materials that provide the best relative density parameters and, consequently, the properties of bulk silicon carbide samples were identified in the studied series.