Exploring the Hugoniot Elastic Limit of Additively Manufactured SiC-based Ceramics at High Temperatures

Additively manufactured (AM) ceramic materials provide an unprecedented level of control over specimen geometry superior to the conventional subtractive counterpart. The byproduct of this method includes defects in material geometry such as a high degree of porosity and larger grain sizes. Currently, there is little work done in exploring the microstructure-property-performance relationships of AM ceramics in the context of hypervelocity impact. Furthermore, the effect of elevated temperature on the Hugoniot elastic limit of AM ceramics remains widely unstudied. Laser driven micro-flyer experiments of hypervelocity impact were performed on AM SiC and SiC-B4C functionally graded material from UMass Lowell. The Hugoniot elastic limit was measured up to 900°C. Accompanying this, characterization of microstructural features through X-ray Computed Tomography and Scanning Electron Microscopy was conducted to identify the pore and grain size/morphology. Postmortem fractography was performed to determine relevant fracture modes related to failure in AM material. These findings offer a foundation for optimizing the design of ceramics for extreme environments including high temperatures and hypervelocity impact as well as an understanding of the microstructure-property-performance relationships in AM ceramics.