Processing and characterization of graphene reinforced sic ceramic composites for armour applications

To improve the fracture toughness of pressureless-sintered SiC ceramic, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was used as the reinforcement nanomaterial. The effects of rGO content on the mechanical properties (fracture toughness, bending strength, hardness) and microstructure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray diffraction and metallographic microscopy. Studies showed that as the weight percentage of rGO increased up to %2.5, density decreased and the fracture toughness increased. Bending and Brazillian strength increased initially, and then decreased with the rGO content increasing from 1.5 to 2.5 wt%. Hardness decreased with increasing rGO additive rate. With the detailed characterization studies toughening mechanisms were discussed and the structure - ballistic performance relationship is scrutinized for iGO-SiC composites.