Figure 4: Microstructure and element distribution of carbides.
From: Ablation-resistant carbide Zr0.8Ti0.2C0.74B0.26 for oxidizing environments up to 3,000 °C
(a) SEM image of cross-section of top ceramic layers and ceramic/carbon composites. From left to right, the external layer is the carbide with the thickness of 100–200 μm, the second layer composed of the carbide and SiC with the thickness of 200–300 μm. Beneath that there are the ceramic and carbon composites as indicated by the arrows. (b) Electron probe microanalysis reveals element distributions. Lines of pink, blue, red, purple and olive lines represent Zr, Ti, Si, C and B, respectively. In the ceramic areas (white areas in a), the ratios of Zr, Ti, C and B are about 40, 10, 37 and 13 at. %, respectively. Grey areas beneath the external layer are SiC according to results of the scan. Scale bar, 500 μm.
