Formation of Ti3SiC2 Interphase of SiC Fiber by Electrophoretic Deposition Method

Due to its stability at high temperature and its layered structure, Ti3SiC2 MAX phase was considered to the interphase of SiCf/SiC composite. In this study, Ti3SiC2 MAX phase powder was deposited on SiC fiber via the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. The Zeta potential of the Ti3SiC2 suspension with and without polyethyleneimine as a dispersant was measured to determine the conditions of the EPD experiments. Using a suspension with 0.03 wt.% ball milled Ti3SiC2 powder and 0.3 wt.% PEI, Ti3SiC2 MAX phase was successfully coated on SiC fiber with an EPD voltage of 10 V for 2 h. Most of the coated Ti3SiC2 powders are composed of spherical particles. Part of the Ti3SiC2 powders that are platelet shaped are oriented parallel to the SiC fiber surface. From these results we expect that Ti3SiC2 can be applied to the interphase of SiCf/SiC composites. Key words: Interphase, MAX phase, SiC fiber, EPD, Ti3SiC2