Diamond/SiC composites were prepared by vacuum silica vapor-phase infiltration of in situ silicon–carbon reaction, and the thermophysical properties of the composites were modulated by controlling diamond graphitizing. The effects of diamond surface state and vacuum silicon infiltration temperature on diamond graphitization were investigated, and the micromorphology, phase composition, and properties of the composites were observed and characterized. The results show that diamond pretreatment can reduce the probability of graphitizing; when the penetration temperature is greater than 1600 °C, the diamond undergoes a graphitizing phase transition and the micro-morphology presents a lamellar shape. The thermal conductivity, density, and flexural strength of the composites increased and then decreased with the increase of penetration temperature in the experimentally designed range of penetration temperature. The variation of thermal expansion coefficients of composites prepared with different penetration temperatures ranged from 0.8 to 3.0 ppm/K when the temperature was between 50 and 400 °C.

This article reported a simple method for preparing diamond/SiC composites by polymer impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) process, and the advantages of this method were discussed. Only diamond and SiC were contained in the diamond/SiC composite prepared by PIP process, and the diamond particles remained thermally stable up until the pyrolysis temperature was increased to 1600 °C. The pyrolysis temperature has a significant impact on the thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of composites. The thermal conductivity of the composite reaches a maximum value of 63.9 W/mK when the pyrolysis temperature is 1600 °C, and the minimum values of the real and imaginary part of the complex permittivity are 19.5 and 0.77, respectively. The PIP process is a quick and easy method to prepare diamond/SiC composites without needing expensive equipment, and it is of importance for promoting its application in the field of electric packaging substrate.

Diamond/SiC composites are appropriate candidate materials for heat conduction as well as high temperature abrasive materials because they do not form liquid phase at high temperature. Diamond/SiC composite consists of diamond particles embedded in a SiC binding matrix. SiC is a hard material with strong covalent bonds having similar structure and thermal expansion with diamond. Interfacial reaction plays an important role in diamond/SiC composites. Diamond/SiC composites were fabricated by high temperature and high pressure (HPHT) sintering with different diamond content, single diamond particle size and bi-modal diamond particle size, and also the effects of composition of diamond and silicon on microstructure, mechanical properties and thermal properties of diamond/SiC composite were investigated. The critical factors influencing the dynamics of reaction between diamond and silicon, such as graphitization process and phase composition, were characterized. Key factor to enhance mechanical and thermal properties of diamond/SiC composites is to keep strong interfacial bonding at diamond/SiC composites and homogeneous dispersion of diamond particles in SiC matrix.