Molybdenum Disilicide for Uses at Ultra-High Temperatures. Outline of Oxidation Properties.

Studying the behavior of surfaces at high temperatures is of great importance for understanding the properties of ceramics and associated surface-gas reactions. Atomic processes occurring on bulk crystal surfaces at high temperatures can be recorded by reflection electron microscopy (REM) in a conventional transmission electron microscope (TEM) with relatively high resolution, because REM is especially sensitive to atomic-height steps.Improved REM image resolution with a FEG: Cleaved surfaces of a-alumina (012) exhibit atomic flatness with steps of height about 5 Å, determined by reference to a screw (or near screw) dislocation with a presumed Burgers vector of b = (1/3)<012> (see Fig. 1). Steps of heights less than about 0.8 Å can be clearly resolved only with a field emission gun (FEG) (Fig. 2). The small steps are formed by the surface oscillating between the closely packed O and Al stacking layers. The bands of dark contrast (Fig. 2b) are the result of beam radiation damage to surface areas initially terminated with O ions.

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Phase transformation and layer evolution in molybdenum disilicide-silicon carbide nanolayered coatings

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100170426 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 538-539

Author(s):

H. Kung ◽

T. R. Jervis ◽

J.-P. Hirvonen ◽

M. Nastasi ◽

T. E. Mitchell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phase Transformation ◽

High Temperature ◽

Oxidation Resistance ◽

Elevated Temperatures ◽

Matrix Material ◽

Molybdenum Disilicide ◽

High Temperature Strength ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Good Oxidation Resistance ◽

Structural Applications

MoSi2 is a potential matrix material for high temperature structural composites due to its high melting temperature and good oxidation resistance at elevated temperatures. The two major drawbacksfor structural applications are inadequate high temperature strength and poor low temperature ductility. The search for appropriate composite additions has been the focus of extensive investigations in recent years. The addition of SiC in a nanolayered configuration was shown to exhibit superior oxidation resistance and significant hardness increase through annealing at 500°C. One potential application of MoSi2- SiC multilayers is for high temperature coatings, where structural stability ofthe layering is of major concern. In this study, we have systematically investigated both the evolution of phases and the stability of layers by varying the heat treating conditions.Alternating layers of MoSi2 and SiC were synthesized by DC-magnetron and rf-diode sputtering respectively. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) was used to examine three distinct reactions in the specimens when exposed to different annealing conditions: crystallization and phase transformation of MoSi2, crystallization of SiC, and spheroidization of the layer structures.

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