High-temperature resistance and thermal insulation performance of continuous SiMOC ceramic fibers fabricated by the modified sol-gel method combined with dry spinning

Ceramic fibers are ideal candidates for high-temperature resistance material due to their excellent oxidation resistance, ablation resistance, and mechanical properties. In this study, precursor solutions of the continuous SiOC, and SiMOC (M = Al/Zr) ceramic fibers were prepared by a modified sol-gel method. The precursor fibers were fabricated by dry spinning, followed by pyrolysis at 800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1200 °C to yield continuous SiOC, SiAlOC, and SiZrOC ceramic fibers. The microstructure, surface morphologies, compositions, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the continuous SiOC and SiMOC ceramic fibers were thoroughly examined by relevant characterization. The results showed that the continuous SiMOC fibers exhibited smooth surfaces and dense structures with effective formation of Si-O-M bonds. The measured tensile strength of fabricated continuous SiAlOC and SiZrOC ceramic fibers revealed optimum values of 139.8 MPa and 162.4 MPa, respectively, much higher than the continuous SiOC ceramic fibers (124 MPa), showing excellent mechanical properties. The continuous SiMOC fibers demonstrated remarkable resistance to high-temperature ablation and oxidation, maintaining structural integrity after exposure to a butane flame for 60 s and heat treatment in air at 1300 °C for 1 h. Additionally, the continuous SiZrOC fibers displayed excellent infrared reflectance of 10.28%, suggesting their potential as superior thermal insulation material in high-temperature applications.

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