Heat conduction mechanisms in hot pressed ZrB2 and ZrB2–SiC composites

Thermal diffusivity and conductivity of hot pressed ZrB2 with different amounts of B4C (0–5wt%) and ZrB2–SiC composites (10–30vol% SiC) were investigated experimentally over a wide range of temperature (25–1500°C). Both thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity were found to decrease with increase in temperature for all the hot pressed ZrB2 and ZrB2–SiC composites. At around 200°C, thermal conductivity of ZrB2–SiC composites was found to be composition independent. Thermal conductivity of ZrB2–SiC composites was also correlated with theoretical predictions of the Maxwell–Eucken relation. The dominated mechanisms of heat transport for all hot pressed ZrB2 and ZrB2–SiC composites at room temperature were confirmed by Wiedemann–Franz analysis by using measured electrical conductivity of these materials at room temperature. It was found that electronic thermal conductivity dominated for all monolithic ZrB2 whereas the phonon contribution to thermal conductivity increased with SiC contents for ZrB2–SiC composites.