Silicon carbide whisker reinforced composites and method for making same

Patent · Thu Feb 09 04:00:00 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
• Patent Number(s): None
• Application Number: ON: TI85005774
• OSTI ID: 6019159
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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