Impedance spectroscopy technique for estimating the oxidation of the PyC interphase layer in a SiC_f/SiC ceramic matrix composite

A new technique using impedance spectroscopy was developed to estimate the oxidation kinetics of the pyrolytic carbon interphase layer in SiCf/SiC ceramic matrix composites. The AC impedance Nyquist plot showed two semicircles that were curve-fitted using an equivalent circuit with two constant-phase element components. The analysis results revealed that the capacitance in the low-frequency region decreased with increasing oxidation time, whereas that in the high-frequency region remained relatively constant. This change in the capacitance in the low-frequency region was associated with the thickness of the oxidized SiO2 layer. This study might make a significant contribution to the literature, which has mostly focused on the characterization of ceramic matrix composites through measurements of mechanical properties. The limitations and potential applications of the developed method were also elucidated.