High-performance grinding of ceramic matrix composites

Ceramic matrix composites(CMCs)are highly promising materials for the next generation of aero-engines.However,machining of CMCs suffers from low efficiency and poor surfacefinish,which presents an obstacle to their wider application.To overcome these problems,this study investigates high-efficiency deep grinding of CMCs,focusing on the effects of grinding depth.The results show that both the sur-face roughness and the depth of subsurface damage(SSD)are insensitive to grinding depth.The material removal rate can be increased sixfold by increasing the grinding depth,while the surface roughness and SSD depth increase by only about 10%.Moreover,it is found that the behavior of material removal is strongly dependent on grinding depth.As the grinding depth is increased,fibers are removed in smaller sizes,with thefiber length in chips being reduced by about 34%.However,too large a grinding depth will result in blockage by chip powder,which leads to a dramatic increase in the ratio of tangential to normal grinding forces.This study demonstrates that increasing the depth of cut is an effective approach to improve the machining efficiency of CMCs,while maintaining a good surfacefin-ish.It provides the basis for the further development of high-performance grinding methods for CMCs,which should facilitate their wider application.

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.

In Situ Reaction Strengthening and Toughening of B_(4)C/TiSi_(2)Ceramics

B_(4)C-SiC-TiB_(2)ceramics were prepared by in situ reactive hot-pressing sintering with TiSi_(2)as an additive.The reaction pathways of TiSi_(2)and B_(4)C were investigated.The sintering was found to be a multistep process.The reaction started at approximately 1000℃,and TiB_(2)was formed first.Part of Si and C started to react at 1300℃,and the unreacted Si melted at 1400℃to form a liquid phase.TiSi_(2)predominantly affected the intermediate sintering process of B_(4)C and increased the sintering rate.Due to the unique reaction process of TiSi_(2)and B_(4)C,a large number of aggregates composed of SiC and TiB_(2)were generated.The results showed that composite ceramics with the optimal flexural strength of 807 MPa,fracture toughness of 3.2 MPa·m1/2,and hardness of 32 GPa,were obtained when the TiSi_(2)content was 10 wt%.

EFFECT OF FIBER FAILURE ON QUASI-STATIC UNLOADING/RELOADING HYSTERESIS LOOPS OF CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES

The two-parameter Weibull model is used to describe the fiber strength distribution.The stress carried by the intact and fracture fibers on the matrix crack plane during unloading/reloading is determined based on the global load sharing criterion.The axial stress distribution of intact fibers upon unloading and reloading is determined based on the mechanisms of fiber sliding relative to matrix in the interface debonded region.The interface debonded length,unloading interface counter slip length,and reloading interface new slip length are obtained by the fracture mechanics approach.The hysteresis loops corresponding to different stresses considering fiber failure are compared with the cases without considering fiber failure.The effects of fiber characteristic strength and fiber Weibull modulus on the fiber failure,the shape,and the area of the hysteresis loops are analyzed.The predicted quasi-static unloading/reloading hysteresis loops agree well with experimental data.

不同编织方式下陶瓷基复合材料表面流动特性数值计算研究

Ceramic matrix composites(CMCs) are one of the most promising materials in the field of gas turbines,with superior weight and thermal properties. Its surface morphology is different from the traditional casting airfoil components, which mainly comes from different weaving methods and different braided tow thickness. However, few people have studied the influence of surface morphology of ceramic matrix composites(CMCs) on the development of boundary layer and the resulting flow loss. In this paper, Tex Gen is used to generate different surface morphology structures of ceramic matrix composites(CMCs), and the surface flow characteristics of corresponding CMCs plates are numerically studied. It is found that the slope of the displacement thickness of the woven surface first increases and then decreases in the whole transition interval. Thicker braided tow thickness and denser braiding method will induce earlier flow transition phenomenon and produce greater flow loss;The flow loss on the surface of CMCs plate is mainly composed of the vortex loss in the pit and the boundary layer loss outside the pit, and the boundary layer loss is dominant. The weaving methods has a greater influence on the flow state and flow loss of the boundary layer.

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of(Li,Ce) modified NaBi_5Ti_5O_(18) composite ceramics

Nominal （Li0.5Ce0.5）x（Na0.5Bi0.5）（1-x）Na0.5Bi4.5Ti5O18 composite ceramics were fabricated using conventional solid-state reaction method. The coexistence of bismuth layer-structured phase and perovskite phase was determined in these ceramics using XRD technique. At room temperature, the x=0.11 sample showed the largest piezoelectric constant, d33, of about 26.5 pC/N and the largest electromechanical coupling factor, kt, of about 30%. Even after annealing at 500 ℃, the value of d33 was still about 19 pC/N, in x=0.08-0.11 samples. Moreover these composite ceramics showed low temperature coefficients of dielectric constant and high electrical resistivity in the temperature region of 450-550 ℃. These results indicated that （Li, Ce） modified NaBi5Ti5O18 composite ceramics were promising piezoelectric materials for high-temperature applications.

ELASTIC BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF 3D ANGLE-INTERLOCK WOVEN CERAMIC COMPOSITES

A micromechanical model for elastic behavior analysis of angle-interlock woven ceramic composites is proposed in this paper. This model takes into account the actual fabric structure by considering the fiber undulation and continuity in space, the cavities between adjacent yarns and the actual cross-section geometry of the yarn. Based on the laminate theory, the elastic properties of 3D angle-interlock woven ceramic composites are predicted. Different numbers of interlaced wefts have almost the same elastic moduli. The thickness of ceramic matrix has little effect on elastic moduli. When the undulation ratio increases longitudinal modulus decreases and the other Young＇s moduli increase. Good agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental results demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed model in analyzing the elastic properties of 3D angle-interlock woven ceramic composites. The results of this paper verify the fact that the method of analyzing polyester matrix composites is suitable for woven ceramic composites.

Effect of MnO2 on Properties of SiC-mullite Composite Ceramics for Solar Sensible Thermal Storage

For improving the properties of SiC-mullite composite ceramics used for solar sensible thermal storage, MnO2 was introduced as sintering additive when preparing. The composite ceramics were synthesized by using SiC, andalusite, a-Al2O3 as the starting materials with non-contact graphite-buried sintering method. Phase composition and microstructure of the composites were investigated by XRD and SEM, and the effect of MnOz on the properties of SiC composites was studied. Results indicated that samples SM1 with 0.2 wt% MnO2 addition achieved the optimum properties： bending strength of 70.96 MPa, heat capacity of 1.02 J.（g.K）-1, thermal conductivity of 9.05 W-（m.K）-1. Proper addition of MnO2 was found to weaken the volume effect of the composites and improve the thermal shock resistance with an increased rate of 27.84% for bending strength after 30 cycles of thermal shock （air cooling from 1 100 ℃ to RT）. Key words： SiC-mullite composite ceramics; MnO2; solar sensible thermal storage; non-contact graphite-buried sintering; thermal shock resistance

Mechanical properties and plasma erosion resistance of BN_p/Al_2O_3-SiO_2 composite ceramics

BNp/Al2O3-SiO2 system ceramic matrix composites with different volume fractions （10%-60%） of hexagonal BN particulates （BNp） were prepared by hot-press sintering technique. Phase components, microstructure, mechanical properties and plasma erosion resistance were also investigated. With the increase of h-BNp content, relative density and Vickers＇ hardness of the composite ceramics decrease, while the flexural strength, elastic modulus and fracture toughness increase and then decrease. The plasma erosion resistance linearly deteriorated with the increase of BNp content which is mainly determined by the density, crystal structure and atomic number of the elements.

Thermal shock fatigue behavior of TiC/Al_2O_3 composite ceramics

The thermal shock fatigue behaviors of pure hot-pressed alumina and 30 wt.% TiC/Al2O3 composites were studied. The effect of TiC and Al2O3 starting particle size on the mechanical properties of the composites was discussed. Indentation-quench test was conducted to evaluate the effect of thermal fatigue temperature difference （ΔT） and number of thermal cycles （Ⅳ） on fatigue crack growth （Δa）. The mechanical properties and thermal fatigue resistance of TiC/Al203 composites are remarkably improved by the addition of TiC. The thermal shock fatigue of monolithic alumina and TiC/Al2O3 composites is due to a ＂true＂ cycling effect （thermal fatigue）. Crack deflection and bridging are the predominant reasons for the improvement of thermal shock fatigue resistance of the composites.

Preparation and properties of C/C-SiC brake composites fabricated by warm compacted-in situ reaction

Carbon fibre reinforced carbon and silicon carbide dual matrix composites（C/C-SiC） were fabricated by the warm compacted-in situ reaction.The microstructure,mechanical properties,tribological properties,and wear mechanism of C/C-SiC composites at different brake speeds were investigated.The results indicate that the composites are composed of 58wt%C,37wt%SiC,and 5wt%Si.The density and open porosity are 2.0 g.cm^（-3） and 10%,respectively.The C/C-SiC brake composites exhibit good mechanical properties.The flexural strength can reach up to 160 MPa,and the impact strength can reach 2.5 kJ.m^（-2）.The C/C-SiC brake composites show excellent tribological performances.The friction coefficient is between 0.57 and 0.67 at the brake speeds from 8 to 24 m·s^（-1）.The brake is stable,and the wear rate is less than 2.02×10^（-6） cm^3·J^（-1）.These results show that the C/C-SiC brake composites are the promising candidates for advanced brake and clutch systems.

Effect of Nano-ZrO_2 on Microstructure and Thermal Shock Behaviour of Al_2O_3/SiC Composite Ceramics Used in Solar Thermal Power

The Al2O3-ZrO2（3Y）-SiC composite ceramics used in solar thermal power were prepared by micrometric Al2O3,nano-ZrO2 and SiC powders under the condition of pressureless sintering.The bulk density and bending strength of samples with 10vol% nano-ZrO2 sintered at 1480℃ were 3.222 g/cm3 and 160.4MPa,respectively.The bending strength of samples after 7 times thermal shock tests （quenching from 1000℃ to 25℃ in air medium） is 132.0MPa,loss rate of bending strength is only 17%.The effect of nano-ZrO2 content on the microstructure and performance of Al2O3-ZrO2（3Y）-SiC composite ceramic was investigated.The experimental results show that the bending strength of samples with above 10vol% nano-ZrO2 content has decreased,because the volume expansion resulting from t-ZrO2 to m-ZrO2 phase transformation is excessive;Adding proper nano-ZrO2 would be contributed to improve the thermal shock resistance of the composite ceramics.The Al2O3-ZrO2（3Y）-SiC composite ceramic has promising potential application in solar thermal power.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of B_4C-TiB_2-Al composites fabricated by vacuum infiltration

B4C-TiB2-Al composites were fabricated by infiltrating aluminum into porous B4C-TiB2 preforms in vacuum. The microstucture and mechanical properties of the B4C-TiB2-Al composites were investigated. The hardness decreased, the flexural strength increased, and the fracture toughness first increased and then decreased slightly with an increase in TiB2 content. The BaC-TiB2-Al composite with 40wt.% TiB2 showed the optimized properties. The infiltrated aluminum addition was the leading reason for the fracture toughness improvement of the composites. The tear ridges and dimples on the fracture surface of the composites increased gradually with the increase of infdtrated alu- minum content showing inter/transgranular fracture mode. The relationships between the microstructures and the mechanical properties of the composites were discussed.

Mechanical Behaviors of ZrO_2-Al_2O_3 Ceramic Composites with Y_2O_3 as Stabilizer

The ZrO2-Al2O3 ceramic composites were prepared by appropriate techniques with commercial ZrO2 and Al2O3 powders as raw materials and Y2O3 as stabilizer. The results indicate that with the introduction of Al2O3 into the ZrO2 matrix where the quantity of additive Y2O3 is 3.5% (mole fraction), the growth of ZrO2 grains is efficiently inhibited, which helps the ZrO2 grains exist in a metastable tetragonal manner; thus higher strength and toughness are acquired. When the content of alumina is 20% (mass fraction), the bending strength and fracture toughness of the composites are 676.7 MPa and 10 MPa·m1/2 respectively, the mechanical behaviors are close to those prepared with ZrO2 and Al2O3 powders synthesized through wet chemical approach. The mechanical behaviors of the composites are well improved owing to the dispersion toughening of alumina grains and phase transformation toughening of zirconia grains.

FRACTURAL PROCESS AND TOUGHENING MECHANISM OF LAMINATED CERAMIC COMPOSITES

Based on the model of multi-layer beam and the assumption of micro-inhomogeneity of material, the 3D fractural characteristics of laminated ceramic composites have been studied with numerical simulation. Under three-point bending load, crack initiation, coalescence, propagation, tuning off in the weak interface and final rupture have been simulated. The spatial distribution and evolution process of acoustic emission are also presented in the paper. The simulation verifies the primary mechanism of the weak interface inducing the crack to expand along there and absorbing the fractural energy. The disciplinary significance of the effect of strength and properties of material on the toughness and strength of laminated ceramic composites is, therefore, discussed in this paper.

Investigation of melt-growth alumina/aluminum titanate composite ceramics prepared by directed energy deposition

Al_(2)O_(3)/Al_(6)Ti_(2)O_(13) composite ceramics with low thermal expansion properties are promising for the rapid preparation of large-scale and complex components by directed energy deposition-laser based(DED-LB)technology.However,the wider application of DED-LB technology is limited due to the inadequate understanding of process conditions.The shaping quality,microstructure,and mechanical properties of Al_(2)O_(3)/Al_(6)Ti_(2)O_(13)(6 mol%TiO_(2))composite ceramics were systematically investigated as a function of energy input in an extensive process window.On this basis,the formation mechanism of solidification defects and the evolution process of microstructure were revealed,and the optimized process parameters were determined.Results show that high energy input improves the fluidity of the molten pool and promotes the uniform distribution and full growth of constituent phases,thus,facilitating the elimination of solidification defects,such as pores and strip gaps.In addition,the microstructure size is strongly dependent on the energy input,increasing when the energy input increases.Moreover,the morphology of theα-Al_(2)O_(3) phase gradually transforms from cellular into cellular dendrite with increasing energy input due to changing solidification conditions.Under the comprehensive influence of solidification defects and microstructure size,the fracture toughness and flexural strength of Al_(2)O_(3)/Al_(6)Ti_(2)O_(13) composite ceramics present a parabolic law behavior as the energy input increases.Optimal shaping quality and excellent mechanical properties are achieved at an energy input range of 0.36-0.54 W*min^(2) g^(-1) mm^(-1).Within this process window,the average microhardness,fracture toughness,and flexural strength of Al_(2)O_(3)/Al_(6)Ti_(2)O_(13) composite ceramics are up to 1640 Hv,3.87 MPa m^(1/2),and 227 MPa,respectively.This study provides practical guidance for determining the process parameters of DED-LB of melt growth Al_(2)O_(3)/Al_(6)Ti_(2)O_(13) composite ceramics.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Hot Pressed TiB_2-ZrO_2 Composites

The partially stabilized ZrO2 (PSZ) particles were introduced into TiB2 ceramics to improve its density and mechanical properties. The results show that the addition of PSZ is very effective not only in bettering the sinterability but also in enhancing the flexural strength and fracture toughness of TiB2.

Preparation of ZrN(ZrON)-SiAION Composite Ceramics via a Pressureless Sintering Process

ZrN-SiAlON composite materials were synthesized at 1 550 ℃ for 6 h via a carbothermal reduction nitridation route using fly ash （≤74 μm）,zircon （≤ 44 μm） and active carbon as starting materials.The processed ZrN-SiAlON composite micropowders were mixed with polyvinyl alcohol as binder to prepare ZrN （ZrON）-SiAlON composite ceramics by carbon-embedded pressureless firing at 1 450,1 500 and 1 550 ℃ for 1 h,respectively.Influences of firing temperature on the phase compositions,microstructure and sintering properties of the ceramics were investigated.The results show that：（1） β-SiAlON based composite ceramics with different compositions can be prepared by controlling firing temperature,and the main crystalline phases of the specimen fired at 1 550 ℃ for 1 h involve ZrN,ZrON and β-SiAlON （z =2,Si4Al2O2N6）; （2） ZrN （ZrON）,β-SiAlON and a Fe-Si based compound can be observed in the microstructures of the specimens fired at different temperatures.ZrN （ZrON） particles distribute homogeneously in the β-SiAlON matrix; （3） raising firing temperature can increase the shrinkage ratio of the ceramics,and the volume shrinkage ratio increases from 19.4％ to 40.3％ when the firing temperature rises from 1 450 to 1 550 ℃.

Influence of sulfides on the tribological properties of composites produced by pulse electric current sintering

Self-lubricating A1203-15wt% ZrO2 composites with sulfides, such as molybdenum disulfide （MoS2） and tungsten disulfide （WSz） serving as solid lubricants, were fabricated by using the pulse electric current sintering （PECS） technique. The coefficient of friction （COF） of the A1203-15wt% ZrO2 composite without/with sulfides was in the range of 0.37-0.48 and 0.27-0.49, respectively. As the amoant of sul- fides increased, the COF and the wear rate decreased. The reduction in COF and wear rate of the sulfide-containing composite is caused by a reduction in shear stresses between the specimen and the tribological medium due to the formation of a lubricating film resulting from the lamellar structure of sulfides located on the worn surface.

Effect of sintering temperature on morphology and arc erosion properties of La-Ni-O ceramic and its composites

Ceramic LaNiO3 samples were prepared by solid state reaction method at different sintering temperatures. It was found that the resultant was not ABO3 perovskite single phase but dual phase La2NiO4 and NiO, and the percentage of the two phases varied with sintering temperature. Ceramics sintered at 1400 ℃ were well crystallized and the phase ratio of La2NiO4 was the maximum. The surface morphology observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） indicated that the grains of the ceramics sintered at 1400 ℃ were uniform and compact, which were in agreement with the properties of high density and low electrical resistivity of the samples. X-ray diffraction （XRD） patterns of ceramics before and after arc erosion indicated their high structural stability, which resulted in the good arc erosion resistance properties for silver-based electrical contact materials. The contact materials prepared with the ceramic sintered at 1400 ℃ exhibited better mass transition and arc erosion resisting properties.