  Silicon carbide (SiC) emerges as a promising ceramic material for
high-temperature structural applications, especially within the aerospace
sector. The utilization of SiC-based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) instead
of superalloys in components like engine shrouds, combustors, and nozzles
offers notable advantages, including a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency, over
10% enhanced thrust, and the capability to withstand up to 500$^{\circ}$C
higher operating temperatures. Employing a CALPHAD-reinforced multi-phase-field
model, our study delves into the evolution of the SiC layer under isothermal
solidification conditions. By modeling the growth of SiC between liquid Si and
solid C at 1450$^{\circ}$C, we compared results with experimental
microstructures and quantitatively examined the evolution of SiC thickness over
time. Efficient sampling across the entire model space mitigated uncertainty in
high-temperature kinetic parameters, allowing us to predict a range of growth
rates and morphologies for the SiC layer. The model accounts for parameter
uncertainty stemming from limited experimental knowledge and successfully
predicts relevant morphologies for the system. Experimental results validated
the kinetic parameters of the simulations, offering valuable insights and
potential constraints on the reaction kinetics. We further explored the
significance of multi-phase-field model parameters on two key outputs, and
found that the diffusion coefficient of liquid Si emerges as the most crucial
parameter significantly impacting the SiC average layer thickness and grain
count over time. This study provides valuable insights into the microstructure
evolution of the Si-C binary system, offering pertinent information for the
engineering of CMCs in industrial applications.
