Abstract

In the present work shows the results of a study on the synthesis process of a ceramic composite SiC-Al2O3, using quartz and vegetable carbon as raw materials, by the Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS) process combined with an electric arc (EA-SHS) as an additional energy source has been carried out. An electric arc oven was used under an inert atmosphere, to reduce the quartz (SiO2) with aluminum. The combination of the energy from the exothermic reaction of the aluminum with the electric arc allowed the threshold of the energy of activation to be overcome and created the thermodynamic conditions (∆G<0) that satisfy the technological criteria in terms of energy consumption, performance, and environmental impact. On the basis of the stoichiometric relations of the raw materials involved, the synthesis was performed above 2000 oC, forming the ceramic composite SiC-Al2O3. The samples obtained were analyzed by X-Ray dispersion (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis conducted by means of SEM (SEM-EDX) confirming the simultaneous production of β-SiC and α-Al2O3