Please consider attending the following: MATERIALS ENGINEERING SEMINAR "Physiochemical Interaction of SiC with Si-Based Melts" By Alexander R. Strayer Purdue MSE Ph.D. Preliminary Exam Advisor: Professor Kenneth H. Sandhage ABSTRACT Silicon Carbide is an industrially important non-oxide ceramic because of its combination of chemical stability, thermal fatigue resistance, high stiffness, and low density. Additionally, SiC can be produced economically in near net-shape structures via liquid silicon melt infiltration into a silicon carbide/carbon porous preform. However, pure liquid Si and solid SiC cannot exist in equilibrium as there is a small amount of carbon solubility in liquid Si. Hence during infiltration dissolution of SiC in liquid Si is possible. In order to mitigate this problem, a better understanding of the physicochemical interaction between silicon carbide and liquid silicon melts is warranted. Here, a number of key publications are reviewed. Possible rate limiting steps for the dissolution are discussed, and major factors contributing to the kinetics such as poly-type, melt dopants, and atmosphere are explored along with current experiments and results aimed at filling the voids left in the literature on the topic. Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 Time: 8:30 A.M. Place: ARMS 3115