Titanation of С/SiC Composite Fiber in KCl–LiCl–K2TiF6 Salt Melts and the Production of Ceramics

Molten-salt titanation of core–shell C/SiC composite fibers was carried out. A KCl, LiCl, and K2TiF6 mixture was used as the reaction medium; the titanating agent was metallic titanium powder. The titanation conditions were 800°C and a stationary argon atmosphere. Ceramics were manufactured from the titanated fibers by hot pressing. The microstructure and phase composition of the fibers and hot-pressed samples were investigated. Ti5Si3 and TiC phases were found to be formed upon titanation, and the Ti5Si3 phase reacted with the carbon core of C/SiC composite fibers during hot pressing to yield titanium carbide TiC as a titanium-containing product. The increasing degree of titanation was found to decrease the porosity and insignificantly increase the strength of the hot-pressed ceramics.