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

In order to improve the properties of carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites at ultra-high temperatures, both ultra high temperature ceramic (UHTC) matrix and UHTC coatings were applied. The influences of carbon fiber types on mechanical properties and microstructures of C-f/SiC-ZrC composites as well as the microstructures of (ZrB2-SiC)(4) coating were investigated. Composite with M40JB carbon fibers as fiber reinforcements possesses better mechanical properties though the dispersion of carbon fibers is less homogenous, obvious fiber pull-outs can also be found on the fracture surface of this composite. FPCVD-derived SiC can fill the open pores formed in the slurry pyrolysis process and connect slurry-derived coatings to CVD-derivrd SiC, which will result a high bonding strength between the coatings and substrates.