Observed volatilization behavior of silicon carbide in flowing hydrogen above 2000 K

Benensky, Kelsa M.; Terrani, Kurt A.; Zinkle, Steven J.

doi:10.1111/jace.17209

Observed volatilization behavior of silicon carbide in flowing hydrogen above 2000 K

Journal Article · Mon May 11 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of the American Ceramic Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.17209· OSTI ID:1764488

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Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

In this work, the intrinsic compatibility of silicon carbide (SiC) and hydrogen (H₂) at high temperatures (2000-2473 K) and pressure near one atmosphere was evaluated through a combination of thermodynamic calculations and hot hydrogen exposure testing. Thermodynamic calculations predict the decomposition of SiC in a hydrogen environment to form free silicon (Si) and free carbon (C). Free Si is predicted to vaporize from the surface as a volatile species, while free C may interact with H₂ to form the hydrocarbons CH₄ (T < 2100 K) or C₂H₂ (T > 2100 K). Coupons of high purity chemical vapor deposition (CVD) β-SiC were exposed to slowly flowing hydrogen at temperatures ranging between 2000 and 2473 K. SiC experienced active attack as the result of H₂ exposure, exhibiting linear weight loss kinetics and an Arrhenius dependence of weight loss on exposure temperature. The linear volatilization constant was experimentally evaluated to correspond with an activation energy of 370 ± 18 kJ/mol. Due to the dependence of observed corrosion rates on gas velocity, corrosion of SiC in flowing H₂ was determined to be governed by external mass transfer of volatile Si species through the boundary layer. Experimentally derived mass losses were in good agreement with mass losses predicted by a boundary layer limited gas diffusion model.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA); USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1764488

Journal Information:: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 103; ISSN 0002-7820

Publisher:: American Ceramic SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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corrosion/corrosion resistance
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Observed volatilization behavior of silicon carbide in flowing hydrogen above 2000 K

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