Preparation of zirconium carbide ceramic with good mechanical properties via gel-casting and pressureless sintering

In this study, high-performance zirconium carbide (ZrC) ceramics prepared by gel-casting method were reported for the first time. A water-based slurry with 40 vol% solids was prepared using TMAH and PVP as dispersants, and the resulting green body had a flexural strength of 21.11 ± 1.84 MPa after curing, which was sufficient for machining. Dense ZrC ceramics (relative density >97 %) were obtained by sintering at 2000 °C under atmospheric pressure, and a 387 ± 23.21 MPa flexural strength and 15.48 ± 0.28 GPa hardness were achieved. This study offers a new strategy for preparing ZrC ceramics with complex structures.