CERAMIC-MATRIX, CARBON-FIBER COMPOSITES

Figure 5.44b is reprinted from Composites Science and Technology, Vol. 59, F Lamouroux, S Bertrand, R Pailler, R Naslain and M Cataldi, Oxidation-resistant carbon-fiber-reinforced ceramic-matrix composites, pp. 1073-1085,1999, with permission from Elsevier. 

R.M. Rocha, C.A.A. Cairo, M.L.A. Graca, Formation of carbon fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites with polysiloxane/silicon derived matrix. Materials Science and Engineering A 437(2006) 268-273... 

Ziegler et al [249] prepared carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites by infiltration of fiber preforms using the polymer infiltration pyrolysis (PIP) technique. 

Dong et al proposed a facile route to fabricate carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (Cf/SiC-BN) by an active-filler-controlled polymer pyrolysis (AFCOP) process. In the proposed process, boron was introduced into the carbon fibers as active filler to form some boron-bearing species by in-situ reactions during the subsequent heat-treatment process. The composites were prepared by PIP using PCS as the polymer precursor. XRD patterns of the obtained composites confirmed the presence of H-BN. With the presence of BN, the oxidation of the composites was greatly improved. The weight losses of Cf/SiC and Cf/SiC-BN after being oxidized at 800°C for lOh were 36% and -16% respectively and most of the carbon fibers in... 

FABRICATION OF CARBON FIBER REINFORCED CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES POTENTIAL FOR ULTRA-HIGH-TEMPERATURE APPLICATIONS... 

Fabrication of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites... 

Carbon fiber reinforced ceramic composites also find some important applications. Carbon is an excellent high temperature material when used in an inert or nonoxidizing atmosphere. In carbon fiber reinforced ceramics, the matrix may be carbon or some other glass or ceramic. Unlike other nonoxide ceramics, carbon powder is nonsinterable. Thus, the carbon matrix is generally obtained from pitch or phenolic resins. Heat treatment decomposes the pitch or phenolic to carbon. Many pores are formed during this conversion from a hydrocarbon to carbon. Thus, a dense and strong pore-free carbon/carbon composite is not easy to fabricate. 

Qui, D., and Pantano, C.G., Sol-gel processing of carbon fiber-reinforced glass matrix, in Ultrastructure Processing of Ceramics, Glasses and Composites, J.D. Mackenzie and D.R. Ulrich, Eds., John Wiley Sons, New York, 1987. 

Wider use of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites for high temperature structural applications is hindered by several factors including (1) absence of a low cost, thermally stable fiber, (2) decrease in toughness caused by oxidation of the commonly used carbon and boron nitride fiber-matrix interface coatings, and (3) composite fabrication (consolidation) processes that are expensive or degrade the fiber. This chapter addresses how these shortcomings may be overcome by CVD and chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). Much of this chapter is based on recent experimental research at Georgia Tech. 

A. R. Bhatti and P. M. Farries, Preparation of Long-fiber-reinforced Dense Glass and Ceramic Matrix Composites, in Carbon/carbon, Cement and Ceramic Matrix Composites, R. Warren, Ed., Elsevier Science Ltd., Oxford, (2000). p. 645-667. 

R. S. Hay, M. D. Petty, K. A. Keller, M. K. Cirtibrrlk, and J. R. Welch, Carbon and Oxide Coatings on Continuous Ceramic Fibers, in Ceramic Matrix Composites-Advanced High Temperature Structural Materials, R. A. Lowden, et al., Eds., Materials Research Society (1995). p. 377 382. 

P. M. Benson, K. E. Spear and C. G. Pantano, Thermochemical Analysis of Interface Reactions in Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Glass Matrix Composites, in Ceramic Microstructures 86. Role of Interfaces, ed. by J. A. Pask and A. G. Evans, Plenum Press, New York (1987) 415 25. 

Benson PM, Spear KE, CG Pantano, Thermochemical analysis of interface reactions in carbon-fiber reinforced glass matrix composites, JA Pask, Evans AG, eds.. Ceramic Microstructures 86 -Role of Interfaces, Plenum Press, New York, 415, 1987. 

Sambell, R. A. J., Briggs, A., Phillips, D. C., and Bowen, D. H. (1972). Carbon fiber composites with ceramic and glass matrix. Part 2 continuous fiber. J. Mater. Sci. 7 676-681. 

The matrix of carbon-fiber composites can be a polymer (resin), a ceramic, a metal, or carbon itself (carbon-carbon). These matrix materials are described in Secs. 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 below. 

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