Preparation of enhanced erosive wear resistance SiC-fiber-reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composites integrated with a knit fabric via high-temperature crystallization of amorphous Si-C-O-Al fibers

We report the enhanced erosive wear resistance of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) integrated with a knit fabric via high-temperature crystallization of relatively cost-effective first-generation (amorphous) Si-C-O-Al fibers (AM; short for TyrannoTM AM), desingned for use as a sliding component. A pyrocarbon (PyC) interface was formed via dip coating in liquid phenolic resin, and matrix densification was achieved by hot pressing at 1900 degrees C for 1 h at 30 MPa. The PyC-coated AM fibers exhibited low tensile strength values at temperatures below 1600 degrees C, which increased significantly at 1900 degrees C (2.68 +/- 0.74 GPa). The hot-pressed AMSiC/SiC CMCs exhibited typical quasi-ductile fracture in a three-point bending test. The erosive wear of the CMCs was investigated using a slurry erosion test, and the associated mechanism was clarified by laser-microscopy- based 3D profiling and scanning-electron-microscopy-based microstructural examination. The matrix of the hot-pressed AM-SiC/SiC CMCs was dense (1.99 % porosity), rigidly structured, and hard (27.1 +/- 2.91 GPa), enabling the CMCs to outperform conventional SiC/SiC CMCs in terms of slurry erosion resistance.