Molten salt synthesis and antioxidation property of SiC-coated mesocarbon microbeads

Mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) is a prospective candidate as the raw material for nuclear graphite. However, the poor resistance to high-temperature oxidation limits its application. Herein, a dense SiC coating was prepared by molten salt synthesis on the surface of MCMB to improve its antioxidation performance. The effect of molten salt synthesis reaction time on the phase composition, microstructure, and antioxidation performance of the SiC-coated MCMB particles was investigated. A theoretical model was established to explain the SiC coating growth rule well, in conformity with the carbon vacancy diffusion mechanism in SiC coating. The SiC coating synthesized for 7 h with the thickness of .385 mu m remarkably promoted the high-temperature antioxidation property of MCMB. The kinetics analysis indicated that the SiC coating obstructed the oxygen diffusion effectively during the oxidation process. The as-fabricated SiC-coated MCMBs with good oxidation resistance show great promise for application in nuclear industry and other antioxidative fields.