Production and characterization of Er2O3 doped B4C-10SiC ceramic materials by flash sintering method

Due to being a covalently bonded compound of boron carbide (B4C) ceramic materials which have a high melting point are difficult to achieve full density using conventional sintering methods. The sintering difficulty in B4C ceramics is significantly reduced by adding various sintering additives. Silicon carbide (SiC) improves the densification of these materials, thereby imparting enhanced mechanical properties. Besides, the addition of erbium oxide (Er2O3) used in the study is recognized as an important additive known to control grain growth during the sintering process and ensure the ceramics achieve full density. Flash sintering is a novel field-assisted sintering technology that significantly reduces the processing time and temperature for ceramics. High density materials are produced through the electric field and temperature applied to the sample. According to the literature review, there have been no studies conducted on the production via flash sintering method, microstructure development and mechanical properties of B4C-10SiC-nEr2O3 (n = 0, 0.5, 1 and 3 wt. %) ceramic materials. The aim of this thesis is to improve the sinterability of B4C-10SiC ceramic material by adding Er2O3 in different proportions. Detailed examinations were conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Flash sintering of the samples was carried out under 50 V/mm electric field and 0.5 A current.