Silicon carbide whisker reinforced composites and method for making same

Patent · Thu Feb 09 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6019159

Wei, G C

The present invention is directed to the fabrication of ceramic composites which possess improved mechanical properties, especially increased fracture toughness. In the formation of these ceramic composites, the single-crystal SiC whiskers are mixed with fine ceramic powders of a ceramic material such as Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, mullite, or B/sub 4/C. The mixtures which contain a homogeneous dispersion of the SiC whiskers are hot pressed at pressures in a range of about 28 to 70 MPa and temperatures in the range of about 1600 to 1950/sup 0/C with pressing times varying from about 0.75 to 2.5 hours. The resulting ceramic composites show an increase in fracture toughness of up to about 9 MPa.m/sup 1/2/ which represents as much as a two-fold increase over that of the matrix material.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Application Number: ON: TI85005774
• OSTI ID: 6019159
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
FABRICATION
REINFORCED MATERIALS
CERAMICS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
HOT PRESSING
SILICON CARBIDES
WHISKERS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS WORKING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MONOCRYSTALS
PRESSING
SILICON COMPOUNDS
360301* - Composite Materials- Preparation & Fabrication- (-1987)