Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Phase Composition of ZrB2–MoSi2 Coating

Composite ZrB2–MoSi2 coating modified by Y2O3 and Al was prepared by a new multi-chamber detonation accelerator (MCDS) on carbon/carbon composites. Postdeposition heat treatment of the samples at 1500 °C for 1 and 6 h was carried out in air. The effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and phase composition of the ZrB2–MoSi2 coating was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction phase analysis. The as-sprayed coating presented as a dense lamellar structure, composed of m-ZrO2, t-ZrO2, some hexagonal ZrB2, and cubic Al phases. The m-ZrO2, c-ZrO2, and h-(α-Al2O3) formed at 1500 °C. The coatings after heat treatment (1 and 6 h) exhibited a structure without cracks. The porosity (~1%) of the coating did not change after heat treatment. Thin, continuous, silica-rich film covered the surfaces of ZrO2 and Al2O3 particles, and could have played a role during heat treatment by acting as a grain lubricant for particle rearrangement.