University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Processing, microstructure, and properties of carbon nanotube and silicon carbide composites

Carlson, Thomas

Content Files
Thomas_Carlson.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/44142

Description

Title
Processing, microstructure, and properties of carbon nanotube and silicon carbide composites
Author(s)
Carlson, Thomas
Issue Date
2013-05-24T21:52:30Z
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Kriven, Waltraud M.
Department of Study
Materials Science & Engineerng
Discipline
Materials Science & Engr
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Date of Ingest
2013-05-24T21:52:30Z
Keyword(s)
  • silicon carbide
  • carbon nanotube
  • composite
  • ceramic
  • processing
  • microstructure, properties
Abstract
This thesis describes the spark plasma sintering of silicon carbide and silicon carbide with multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The work was completed to investigate the processing, microstructure, and properties of such materials. Various ceramic engineering techniques aided this investigation including powder processing, sintering, microscopy, spectroscopy, and mechanical testing. These steps were completed in order acquire knowledge about the influences of various parameters on the microstructure and properties of the materials. The resulting insight provided conclusions for how to synthesize a material that may allow carbon nanotubes to positively reinforce a silicon carbide matrix, particularly improving the fracture toughness. In this work, the spark plasma sintering of both silicon carbide and silicon carbide with multi-walled carbon nanotubes did not lead to fully density. The evidence of pores negatively influenced the material properties. The addition of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes required additional processing in attempt to disperse the reinforcement, but ultimately caused low density and did not improve density, strength, or fracture toughness. Alternative methods for dispersing multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a silicon carbide matrix must be developed.
Graduation Semester
2013-05
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/44142
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2013 Thomas Carlson

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Materials Science and Engineering