Observations of accelerated silicon carbide recession by oxidation at high water-vapor pressures

A study of the exposure of SiC at 1200 degrees C and high water-vapor pressures (1.5 atm) has shown SiC recession rates that exceed what is predicted based on parabolic oxidation at water-vapor pressures of less than or equal to similar to 1 atm. After exposure to these conditions, distinct silica-scale structures are observed; thick, porous, nonprotective cristobalite scales form above a thin, dense silica layer. The porous cristobalite thickens with exposure time, while the thickness of the underlying dense layer remains constant. These observations suggest a moving-boundary phenomenon that is controlled by the rapid conversion of dense vitreous silica to a porous, nonprotective crystalline SiO2.