Effects of thermal oxidation on microwave-absorbing and mechanical properties of SiC_f/SiC composites with PyC interphase

The SiCf/SiC composites containing PyC interphase were prepared by chemical vapor infiltration process. The influences of thermal oxidation on the complex permittivity and microwave absorption properties of Si Cf/Si C composites were investigated in the frequency range of 8.2-12.4 GHz. Both the real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivity decreased after thermal oxidation. The composites after 100 h thermal oxidation showed that reflection loss exceeded-10 d B in the frequency of 9.7-11.9 GHz and the minimum value was-11.4 d B at 11.0 GHz. The flexural strength of composites decreased but fracture behavior was improved obviously after thermal oxidation. These results indicate that the SiCf/SiC composites containing PyC interphase after thermal oxidation possess good microwave absorbing property and fracture behavior.

Effects of dip-coated BN interphase on mechanical properties of SiC_f/SiC composites prepared by CVI process

BN interphase was successfully synthesized on SiC fiber fabrics by dip-coating process using boric acid and urea as precursors under N2 atmosphere. The morphology of BN interphase was observed by SEM, and the structure was characterized by XRD and FT-IR spectra. The SiCf/SiC composites with dip-coated BN interphase were fabricated by chemical vapor infiltration （CVI） process, and the effects ofBN interphase on the mechanical properties of composites were investigated. The results show that the SiC fibers are fully covered by BN interphase with smooth surface and turbostratic structure （t-BN）, and the thickness is about 0.4 μm. The flexural strengths of SiCf/SiC composites with and without BN interphase are about 180 and 95 MPa, respectively. Compared with the as-received SiCf/SiC composites, the composites with BN interphase exhibit an obvious toughened fracture behavior. From the microstructural analysis, it can be confirmed that the BN interphase plays a key part in protecting the fibers from chemical attack during matrix infiltration and weakening interfacial bonding, which can improve the mechanical properties of SiCf/SiC composites remarkably.

Recent Progresses and Critical Issues of SiC_f/SiC Composite Under Irradiation Environments

SiC with fiber-reinforced composites, which are presently considered as the primary structural materials in some fusion reactor conceptual designs, are more attractive and competitive for structural materials in a fusion energy system because of its excellent chemical and mechanical properties such as high fracture toughness, induced-low activation, afterheat under 14MeV neutron irradiation environment at elevated temperature, and good compatibility with coolant and breeder materials. Thus it is important to investigate the research progress of advanced SiC composite, including transmuted helium gas, radiation swelling, radiation effects on mechanical properties, irradiation-enhanced creep, fatigue, physical properties associated with fusion design and their critical issues. This report summarized these results and addressed the major critical issues under irradiation conditions.

Elastic Modulus Prediction of Three-dimension-4 Directional Braided C_f/SiC Composite Based on Double-scale Model

Double-scale model for three-dimension-4 directional（3D-4d） braided C/SiC composites has been proposed to investigate its elastic properties. The double-scale model involves micro-scale that takes fiber/ matrix/porosity in fibers tows into consideration with unit cell which considers the 3D-4d braiding structure. Micro-optical photographs of composites have been taken to study the braided structure. Then a parameterized finite element model that reflects the structure of 3D-4d braided composites is proposed. Double-scale elastic modulus prediction model is developed to predict the elastic properties of 3D-4d braided C/SiC composites. Stiffness and eompliance-averaging method and energy method are adopted to predict the elastic properties of composites. Static-tension experiments have been conducted to investigate the elastic modulus of 3D-4d braided C/SiC composites. Finally, the effect of micro-porosity in fibers tows on the elastic modulus of 3D-4d braided C/SiC composites has been studied. According to the conclusion of this thesis, elastic modulus predicted by energy method and stiffness-averaging method both find good agreement with the experimental values, when taking the micro-porosity in fibers tows into consideration. Differences between the theoretical and experimental values become smaller.

Processing and characterization of C_f/SiC composites

Carbon fiber-reinforced SiC composites were prepared by precursor pyrolysis-hot pressing （PP-HP） and precursor impregnation-pyrolysis （PIP）, respectively. The effect of fabrication methods on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. It was found that the composite prepared by PP-HP exhibits a brittle fracture behavior, which is mainly ascribed to a strongly bonded fiber/matrix interface and the degradation of the fibers caused by a higher processing temperature. On the contrary, the composite prepared by PIP shows a tough fracture behavior, which could be rationalized on the basis of a weakly bonded fiber/matrix interface as well as a higher strength retention of the fibers. As a result, in comparison with the composite prepared by PP-HP, the composite prepared by PIP achieves better mechanical properties with a flexural strength of 573.4 MPa and a fracture toughness of 17.2 MPa.m^1/2.

Effect of fiber characteristics on fracture behavior of C_f/SiC composites

C f/SiC composites were prepared by precursor pyrolysis hot pressing, and the effect of fiber characteristics on the fracture behavior of the composites was investigated. Because the heat treatment temperature of fiber T300 (below 1?500?℃) was much lower than that of fiber M40JB (over 2?000?℃), fiber T300 had lower degree of graphitization and consisted of more impurities compared with fiber M40JB, suggesting that T300 exhibits higher chemical activity. As a result, the composite with T300 showed a brittle fracture behavior, which is mainly ascribed to a strongly bonded fiber/matrix interface as well as the degradation of fibers during the preparation of the composite. However, the composite with M40JB exhibits a tough fracture behavior, which is primarily attributed to a weakly bonded fiber/matrix interface and higher strength retention of the fibers.

Multi-scale Modeling and Finite Element Analyses of Thermal Conductivity of 3D C/SiC Composites Fabricating by Flexible-Oriented Woven Process

Thermal conductivity is one of the most significant criterion of three-dimensional carbon fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites(3D C/SiC).Represent volume element(RVE)models of microscale,void/matrix and mesoscale proposed in this work are used to simulate the thermal conductivity behaviors of the 3D C/SiC composites.An entirely new process is introduced to weave the preform with three-dimensional orthogonal architecture.The 3D steady-state analysis step is created for assessing the thermal conductivity behaviors of the composites by applying periodic temperature boundary conditions.Three RVE models of cuboid,hexagonal and fiber random distribution are respectively developed to comparatively study the influence of fiber package pattern on the thermal conductivities at the microscale.Besides,the effect of void morphology on the thermal conductivity of the matrix is analyzed by the void/matrix models.The prediction results at the mesoscale correspond closely to the experimental values.The effect of the porosities and fiber volume fractions on the thermal conductivities is also taken into consideration.The multi-scale models mentioned in this paper can be used to predict the thermal conductivity behaviors of other composites with complex structures.

Tensile Mechanical Behavior and Failure Mechanism of a Plain-Woven SiCf/SiC Composites at Room and Elevated Temperatures

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are the preferred materials for solving advanced aerospace high-temperature structural components;it has the comprehensive advantages of higher temperature (~1500˚C) and low density. In service environments, CMCs exhibit complex damage mechanisms and failure modes, which are affected by constituent materials, meso-architecture and inhere defects. In this paper, the in-plane tensile mechanical behavior of a plain-woven SiCf/SiC composite at room and elevated temperatures was investigated, and the factors affecting the tensile strength of the material were discussed in depth. The results show that the tensile modulus and strength of SiCf/SiC composites at high temperature are lower, but the fracture strain increases and the toughness of the composites is enhanced;the stitching holes significantly weaken the tensile strength of the material, resulting in the material is easy to break at the cross-section with stitching holes.

Ablation Processes for HfC-Coated 2.5D Needle-Punched Composites Used for Aerospace Engines Under Hypersonic Flight Conditions

The working environment of aerospace engines is extremely harsh with temperature exceeding 1700℃and accompanied by thermal coupling effects.In this condition,the materials employed in hypersonic aircraft undergo ablation issues,which can cause catastrophic accidents.Due to the excellent high-temperature stability and ablation resistance,HfC exhibits outstanding thermal expansion coefficient matching that of C/SiC composites.2.5D needle-punched C/SiC composites coated with HfC are prepared using a plasma spraying process,and a high-enthalpy arc-heated wind tunnel is employed to simulate the re-entry environment of aircraft at 8 Mach and an altitude of 32 km.The plasma-sprayed HfC-coated 2.5D needle-punched C/SiC composites are subjected to long-term dynamic testing,and their properties are investigated.Specifically,after the thermal assessment ablation experiment,the composite retains its overall structure and profile;the total mass ablation rate is 0.07445 g/s,the average linear ablation rate in the thickness direction is-0.0675μm/s,and the average linear ablation rate in the length direction is 13.907μm/s.Results verify that plasma-sprayed HfC coating exhibits excellent anti-oxidation and ablation resistance properties.Besides,the microstructure and ablation mechanism of the C/SiC composites are studied.It is believed that this work will offer guideline for the development of thermal protection materials and the assessment of structural thermal performance.

Electromagnetic wave absorption and mechanical properties of SiC nanowire/low-melting-point glass composites sintered at 580°C in air

Si C nanowires are excellent high-temperature electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials. However, their polymer matrix composites are difficult to work at temperatures above 300℃, while their ceramic matrix composites must be prepared above 1000℃ in an inert atmosphere. Thus, for addressing the abovementioned problems, SiC/low-melting-point glass composites were well designed and prepared at 580℃ in an air atmosphere. Based on the X-ray diffraction results, SiC nanowires were not oxidized during air atmosphere sintering because of the low sintering temperature. Additionally, SiC nanowires were uniformly distributed in the glass matrix material. The composites exhibited good mechanical and EMW absorption properties. As the filling ratio of SiC nanowires increased from 5wt%to 20wt%, the Vickers hardness and flexural strength of the composite reached HV 564 and 213 MPa, which were improved by 27.7%and 72.8%, respectively, compared with the low-melting-point glass. Meanwhile, the dielectric loss and EMW absorption ability of SiC nanowires at 8.2–12.4 GHz were also gradually improved. The dielectric loss ability of low-melting-point glass was close to 0. However, when the filling ratio of SiC nanowires was 20wt%, the composite showed a minimum reflection loss (RL) of-20.2 dB and an effective absorption (RL≤-10 dB) bandwidth of2.3 GHz at an absorber layer thickness of 2.3 mm. The synergistic effect of polarization loss and conductivity loss in SiC nanowires was responsible for this improvement.

Damping performance of SiC nanoparticles reinforced magnesium matrix composites processed by cyclic extrusion and compression

This work dealt with the damping performance and its underlying mechanism in SiC nanoparticles reinforced AZ91D composite(SiC_(np)/AZ91D)processed by cyclic extrusion and compression(CEC).It was found that the CEC process significantly affects the damping performance of the composite due to alterations in the density of dislocations and grain boundaries in the matrix alloy.Although there would be dynamic precipitation of the Mg17Al12 phase during processing which increases the phase interface and limits the mobility of dislocations and grain boundaries.The results also showed that the damping capacity of 1%SiC_(np)/AZ91D composite continuously decreases with adding CEC pass number and it consistently increases with rising the applied temperature.Considering the first derivative of the tanδ-T curve,the dominant damping mechanism based on test temperature can be divided into three regions.These three regions are as follows(i)dislocation vibration of the weak pinning points(≤T_(cr)),(ii)dislocation vibration of the strong pinning points(T_(cr)∼T_(V)),and(iii)grain boundary/interface sliding(≥T_(V))

Effects of Co_(2)O_(3)Addition on Microstructure and Properties of SiC Composite Ceramics for Solar Absorber and Storage

SiC composite ceramics for solar absorber and storage integration are new concentrating solar power materials.SiC composite ceramics for solar absorber and storage integration were fabricated using SiC,black corundum and kaolin as the raw materials,Co_(2)O_(3)as the additive via pressureless graphite-buried sintering method in this study.Influences of Co_(2)O_(3)on the microstructure and properties of SiC composite ceramics for solar absorber and storage integration were studied.The results indicate that sample D2(5wt%Co_(2)O_(3))sintered at 1480℃exhibits optimal performances for 119.91 MPa bending strength,93%solar absorption,981.5 kJ/kg(25-800℃)thermal storage density.The weight gain ratio is 12.58 mg/cm2after 100 h oxidation at 1000℃.The Co_(2)O_(3)can decrease the liquid phase formation temperature and reduce the viscosity of liquid phase during sintering.The liquid with low viscosity not only promotes the elimination of pores to achieve densification,but also increases bending strength,solar absorption,thermal storage density and oxidation resistance.A dense SiO_(2) layer was formed on the surface of SiC after 100 h oxidation at 1000℃,which protects the sample from further oxidation.However,excessive Co_(2)O_(3)will make the microstructure loose,which is disadvantageous to the performances of samples.

Recent advances in joining of SiC-based materials(monolithic SiC and SiC_f/SiC composites):Joining processes,joint strength, and interfacial behavior

Silicon carbide(SiC) has been widely concerned for its excellent overall mechanical and physical properties, such as low density, good thermal-shock behavior, high temperature oxidation resistance, and radiation resistance; as a result, the SiC-based materials have been or are being widely used in most advanced fields involving aerospace, aviation, military, and nuclear power. Joining of SiC-based materials(monolithic SiC and SiCf/SiC composites) can resolve the problems on poor processing performance and difficulty of fabrication of large-sized and complex-shaped components to a certain extent, which are originated from their high inherent brittleness and low impact toughness.Starting from the introduction to SiC-based materials, joining of ceramics, and joint strength characterization, the joining of SiC-based materials is reviewed by classifying the as-received interlayer materials, involving no interlayer, metallic, glass-ceramic, and organic interlayers. In particular, joining processes(involving joining techniques and parameter conditions), joint strength,interfacial microstructures, and/or reaction products are highlighted for understanding interfacial behavior and for supporting development of application-oriented joining techniques.

A review of third generation SiC fibers and SiC_f/SiC composites

Compared with the first and second generations SiC fibers, the third generation SiC fibers have obvious improvement in heat-resistance, oxidation-resistance and creep-resistance, which promote the development of SiCf/SiC composite materials. Therefore, the third generation SiC fibers have more advantages and broader prospects in engineering applications. In this paper, the fabrication and properties of the third generation SiC fibers are compared and discussed. The preparation processes of the third generation SiC fibers reinforced SiC matrix composites and their application in aeroengine and nuclear energy fields are summarized, while their future development is prospected as well.

KD-S SiC_f/SiC composites with BN interface fabricated by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis process

Continuous silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix(SiC_f/SiC) composites are attractive candidate materials for aerospace engine system and nuclear reactor system. In this paper, SiC_f/SiC composites were fabricated by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis(PIP) process using KD-S fiber as the reinforcement and the LPVCS as the precursor, while the BN interface layer was introduced by chemical vapor deposition(CVD) process using borazine as the single precursor. The effect of the BN interface layer on the structure and properties of the SiC_f/SiC composites was comprehensively investigated. The results showed that the BN interface layer significantly improved the mechanical properties of the KD-S SiC_f/SiC composites. The flexure strength and fracture toughness of the KD-S SiC_f/SiC composites were evidently improved from 314±44.8 to 818±39.6 MPa and 8.6± 0.5 to 23.0±2.2 MPa·m^(1/2), respectively. The observation of TEM analysis displayed a turbostratic structure of the CVD-BN interface layer that facilitated the improvement of the fracture toughness of the SiC_f/SiC composites. The thermal conductivity of KD-S SiC_f/SiC composites with BN interface layer was lower than that of KD-S SiC_f/SiC composites without BN interface layer, which could be attributed to the relative low thermal conductivity of BN interface layer with low crystallinity.

Joining of C_f/SiC composite to GH783 superalloy with NiPdPtAu-Cr filler alloy and a Mo interlayer

With assistance of Mo interlayer, joining of Cf/SiC composite to GH783 superalloy was carried out using NiPdPtAu-Cr filler alloy. Under the brazing condition of 1200 C for 10 min, the maximum joint strength of 98.5 MPa at room temperature was achieved when the thickness of Mo interlayer was 0.5 mm. Furthermore, the corresponding joint strength tested at 800 ℃ and 900℃ was even elevated to 123.8 MPa and 133.0 MPa, respectively. On one hand, the good high-temperature joint strength was mainly attributed to the formation of the refractory Mo-Ni-Si ternary compound within the joint. On the other hand, the residual Mo interlayer as a hard buffer, can release the residual thermal stresses within the dissimilar joint. The Cf/SiC-Mo bonding interface was still the weak link over the whole joint, and the cracks propagated throughout the whole reaction zone between the Cf/SiC composite and the Mo interlayer.

Effect of properties of SiC fibers on longitudinal tensile behavior of SiC_f/Ti-6Al-4V composites

Three types of SiC fibers with different tensile strength were employed to prepare unidirectional titanium matrix composites. The strengths of the original SiC fibers and extracted fibers from the composites were measured. The results show that the mechanical properties of fibers are greatly damaged by the consolidation processing of the composite. The strength data of the extracted fibers are used to predict the strength of the composites according to two theoretic models. The Globe Load-Sharing(GLS) model overestimates the strength of the composites. If the Local Load-Sharing(LLS) model assumes that failure occurs after the formation of a cluster with three broken fibers, the model can predict the strength of the composites exactly.

Fabrication of 2D C_f/SiC Composites by Liquid Silicon Infiltration

The carbon/carbon(C/C) composite was prepared by repeatedly overlapping the layers of 2D carbon cloths, and the 2D C_f/SiC composites were subsequently prepared in vacuum by a liquid silicon infiltration process. The flexural strength of samples obtained under different preparation conditions was investigated. The results show that the composite has a better performance when the mass of silicon powder is 1.5 times greater than that of C/C composite, the temperature of silicon infiltration is 1550 ℃ and the holding time of silicon infiltration is 3 h. The density and flexural strength of the composite are 2.15 g/cm^3 and 128 MPa, respectively, and the thickness of the SiC layer is 12 μm.

Preparation and oxidation property of ZrB_2-MoSi_2/SiC coating on carbon/carbon composites

To improve the oxidation resistance of carbon/carbon composites,ZrB2-MoSi2/SiC coating on the carbon/carbon substrate was prepared.The inner coating of SiC was prepared by pack cementation and the outer coating of ZrB2-MoSi2 was prepared by slurry painting.The phase compositions and microstructures of the coating were characterized by XRD and SEM,respectively.The preparation and the high temperature oxidation property of the coated composites were investigated.The results show that the outer coating of carbon/carbon composites is composed of ZrB2,MoSi2 and SiC phases.The mass losses of the ZrB2-MoSi2/SiC coated samples with SiC nano-whiskers after 30 h and 10 h of oxidation at 1 273 K and 1 773 K were,respectively,5.3% and 3.0%.The ZrB2-MoSi2/SiC coated samples exhibit self-sealing performance and good oxidation resistance at high temperature.

C/SiC/MoSi_2-SiC-Si multilayer coating for oxidation protection of carbon/carbon composites

C/SiC/MoSi2-SiC-Si oxidation protective multilayer coating for carbon/carbon （C/C） composites was prepared by pack cementation and slurry method. The microstructure, element distribution and phase composition of the as-received coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The results show that the multilayer coating was composed of MoSi2, SiC and Si. It could effectively protect C/C composites against oxidation for 200 h with the mass loss of 3.25% at 1873 K in static air. The mass loss of the coated C/C composites results from the volatilization of SiO2 and the formation of cracks and bubble holes in the coating.