Silicon carbide whiskers for composites: growth and properties

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5088853

Hurley, G F; Petrovic, J J

Silicon carbide (SiC) whiskers have great potential as reinforcements for structural ceramic matrix composites with significantly improved fracture toughness and strength. Such whiskers, synthesized at Los Alamos by a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process, are single crystal fibers with diameters in the range of 0.1 to 10 ..mu..m and lengths presently as long as 100 mm. They possess superb mechanical properties, with an average strength of 8.4 GPa (1,220,000 psi) and an average elastic modules of 580 GPa (84,000,000 psi), as well as excellent elevated temperature stability. Future possibilities include the synthesis of long SiC whiskers for continuous fiber composites, and other types of whisker materials to extend the range of new ceramic composite systems.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5088853
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-85-3453; CONF-851244-1; ON: DE86000798
• Resource Relation: Conference: ASM/ESD advanced composites conference, Dearborn, MI, USA, 3 Dec 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SILICON CARBIDES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
ELASTICITY
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
TENSILE PROPERTIES
WHISKERS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
MONOCRYSTALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
360201* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Preparation & Fabrication
360203 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Mechanical Properties