Triaxially braided C SiC composites: A high temperature, lightweight, nozzle material

Shaanxi Non-metallic Material and Technology Institute has demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating lightweight, oxidation resistant, composite thrusters for use in attitude control systems. High strength high modulus carbon fibers were used as the reinforcement, silicon carbide as the matrix material, and carbon coatings as the interface phase. Carbon fiber, silicon carbide thrusters were fabricated by the densification of triaxially braided preforms. The braided components were densified,by the combined process of chemical vapor infiltration and precursor impregnation & pyrolysis, to final densities of approximately 2.1 g/cc and open porosities of approximately 4%. Flexural strengths of the densified composites are in excess of 600 MPa at room and/or high temperature.