Plasticizing and wettability-enhancing coatings on carbon,silicon carbide and boron fibers

This paper is concerned with two groups of coatings on high modulus and high strength fibers for reinforcing composite materials with metal and polymer matrices.The first group includes coatings for improving and stabilizing the strength of fibers through a plasticizing effect. For carbon fibers the best results were obtained by chemically applying a nickel coating 1 μm thick with subsequent annealing at 1000°C to form a solid solution of carbon in nickel. In the case of boron and silicon carbide fibers, strength stabilization is achieved by applying coatings, 0.5–2 μm thick, of aluminum and some aluminum alloys by pulling the fibers through a melt. Analysis of the physicochemical interaction of the fibers with the coatings indicates a selective dissolution of the atoms of the fiber material in the coating at stress concentrators, with the result that the stress concentrators are smoothed out. In addition, the plasticizing effect is promoted by the relaxation of stresses in the coating at the stage of microplastic strain of the fibers.The second group includes coatings that enhance the wettability of the fibers by metal melts. An essential role in the improvement of the impregmation of carbon fiber strands and fabrics is played by the highly dispersive surface structure of the coatings, which exhibit a capillary effect as the melt spreads. The best results are obtained in double-layer coatings in which the first layer, silicon carbide, is protective and the second, molybdenum, enhances wettability.     

Preparation of silicon carbide whiskers from silicon nitride

Silicon carbide whiskers have been prepared by sintering silicon nitride powder in a graphite reactor at 1800°C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The whiskers differ in morphology: tubular needles, hollow faceted fibers with a square cross section, and solid fibers with a triangular cross section. The average diameter of the needles is 0.5?5 μm, and that of the faceted fibers is up to 20 μm. The fibers range in length up to several millimeters. Such silicon carbide whiskers can be used as reinforcing agents for structural ceramics based on nonoxide materials.     

Phases analysis and impact of phases on fracture mechanism of AZ61‐SiC composite

Phase composition of AZ61‐SiC composite with 5 wt.% of nanosized silicon carbide reinforcement was analysed and failure mechanism by in situ tensile test in scanning electron microscope was observed. Microstructure of the experimental materials was heterogeneous with grain size of 15 μm. Based on the quantitative analysis of composite, besides, silicon carbide strengthened particles added externally into the matrix magnesium silicide, magnesium oxide, and aluminium/manganese particles formed in situ were found in the matrix. In situ tensile test in scanning electron microscope has shown that reinforcing particles substantially influenced failure mechanism. Large, brittle magnesium silicide particles (size of 40 μm–50 μm) cracked during tensile deformation and at the same time, as a result of different physical properties, decohesion of the matrix and smaller aluminium/manganese, silicon carbide and magnesium oxide particles (size of 5 μm–10 μm, 10 μm and 50 nm respectively) occurred. Reinforcing particles and brittle secondary phases driven micro voids and their coalescence was found as a major cause of large cracks formation. Subsequently the increase of stress caused the cracks propagation by the coalescence of fractured particles and decohesively release smaller dispersed particles. The fracture propagated at approximately 90° angle to the direction of the tensile load direction. Fracture surface had feature of transcrystalline and intercrystalline failure.     

Structure, mechanical and functional properties of aluminum nitride-silicon carbide ceramic material

Two-phase ceramic composites of the dielectric-semiconductor type having different semiconducting phase content (aluminum nitride ceramics with uniformly distributed inclusions of silicon carbide of a certain size) have been produced by pressureless sintering. These composites are characterized by Vickers hardness HV (150 N) 9.5–15.8 GPa, Palmqvist fracture toughness 3.0–4.2 MPa m^0.5, bending strength 132–209 MPa, thermal conductivity 37–82 W/(m K), and by a coefficient of the microwave electromagnetic energy attenuation to 36.3 dB/cm. It has been found that as the size of silicon carbide grains in aluminum nitride-based ceramics increases, the thermal conductivity increases and microwave energy attenuation decreases, which is indicative of the decisive role of grain boundaries in scattering both phonons and microwave radiation.     

Computing Fibers: A Novel Fiber for Intelligent Fabrics?

This communication describes a possible path for transition from a wearable computer to a fiber computer in which digital processing power is integrated directly into textiles via circuits on individual fibers. Three different classes of computing fiber substrate (active, passive, and intermediate) are discussed and some technologies for their manufacture are reviewed. It is shown here that with two of these techniques it is possible to develop new substrates for the semiconductor industry. Using an silicon‐on‐insulator (SOI) process, polycrystalline silicon fibers with a length of 42 mm have been successfully produced at NMRC in Ireland. These fibers are 35 μm wide and 1 μm thick. Silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) endless fibers (subsequently cut in to 20 cm lengths) have also been produced by extrusion. After sintering, this method yielded polycrystalline SiC fibers and pure amorphous SiO₂ glass fibers. For many future applications, fiber computing appears to be a possible key to success. The computing power offered by such fibers may be combined with additional in‐ and output functions by weaving fiber‐based sensors and piezoelectric materials into textiles.     

The role of silicon in wetting and pressureless infiltration of SiCp preforms by aluminum alloys

Silicon plays an important role in the production of Al/SiC metal matrix composites. As an alloying element in aluminum, silicon retards the kinetics of the chemical reactions that result in the formation of the unwanted intermetallics Al₄C₃ and Al₄SiC₄. As a thin coating on silicon carbide, silicon becomes an active participant in a thermally activated chemical reaction that enhances wetting of silicon carbide by aluminum alloys. Consequently, Al/SiC composites made with siliconized silicon carbide and silicon rich aluminum alloys show mechanical properties that are significantly different from those of similar composites produced with unsiliconized silicon carbide or with aluminum alloys that do not contain silicon. It is shown that a silicon coating on SiC significantly enhances wetting of SiC particles by aluminum alloys, reduces porosity, does not affect the modulus of elasticity, but decreases the modulus of rupture of Al/SiC metal matrix composites.     

Modern boron and SiC CVD filaments: A comparative study

Large diameter filaments (100–150 μm in diameter) made by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of two ceramic materials (i.e. boron and SiC) on a heated tungsten or carbon core are compared from a mechanical and chemical standpoint. The most interesting of the filaments studied have received a rather thick surface coating (1–3 μm) which is made of boron carbide for B(W) filaments and a sequence of pyrocarbon and silicon carbide layers for SiC filaments. The mechanical behavior of the filaments in tension is explained on the basis of a Weibull statistics approach as well as a fracture analysis. Failure appears to be mainly controlled by surface defects, a feature which emphasizes the protective role played by the coating. Annealing at high temperatures (i.e. 800–950°C) in the presence of titanium shows that coated filaments have superior behavior. The coating acts in fact as a consumable sacrificial material, the strength of the filament remaining unchanged as long as the coating is not totally consumed by chemical reaction with titanium. Modern CVD filaments appear to be the most suitable ceramic reinforcements from a fundamental point of view.     

碳化硅颗粒增强Al基复合材料的新型制备工艺

综述了碳化硅增强铝基复合材料的几种主要制备工艺,重点阐述了高能超声半固态复合法制备SiCp/Al复合材料.首先用渗流法制备SiC体积分数高的SiCp/Al预制块,进行SiC预分散,然后将预制块加入处于半固态温度条件下的铝合金熔体中,最后导入超声波进行搅拌.此法很好地改善了增强颗粒与基体之间的润湿性,使SiC在基体中均匀...     

Mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of lead-silicon carbide fiber and lead-carbon fiber composites made by electrodeposition

Multifilament silicon carbide fibers (Nippon Carbon, Nicalon type) and carbon fibers (Thornel, Pan T 300 and Pitch type) were used to produce lead-matrix composite materials for battery plate grid applications. Lead was impregnated into the fibers by electrodeposition from fluoborate baths. The electrical conductivity of carbon fibers was sufficient for direct electroplating; silicon carbide fibers were electroless plated with copper beforehand. The experimental conditions for good penetration of lead into the fiber tows were determined.Unidirectional composite samples with a fiber volume fraction of 5 to 25% were prepared from both lead impregnated fiber sheets and rods by hot-pressing (280°C, 50 MPa, 5–30 mm). The flexural strength and modulus of these samples were measured as a function of the infiltration current density and of the fiber volume fraction. Ultimate strengths in the range 300–400 MPa were attained for both lead-silicon carbide and lead-carbon composites, at a fiber volume fraction of about 25%. These latter composites exhibited a good corrosion resistance towards 38.5 wt-% sulfuric acid under non-anodic conditions.     

Thin coatings on carbon fibers as diffusion barriers and wetting agents in Al composites

This paper describes the preparation of CVD coatings (Ta, TiC, TiN, TiNC and SiC) on carbon fibers and the effect of the deposition parameters on the mechanical properties of the fibers. Ta does not influence the fiber strength, whereas for the other coating materials the deposition conditions must be optimized in order to retain the original fiber properties.In view of the application of such coated carbon fibers in composites, their wetting behavior with liquid aluminum as well as the behavior of the coatings as diffusion barriers were studied. The coatings are instantly wetted only at temperatures so high that a partial penetration of aluminum through the thin coatings and hence a reaction at the surface of the carbon fiber leading to the formation of aluminum carbide become inevitable. The fiber strength of high performance fibers is then considerably impaired although low strength fibers are hardly affected.Wetting by liquid aluminum below 800°C can be achieved by using additional thin nickel layers. In this way the infiltration of coated carbon fiber bundles can be realized and theoretical fiber strength yields in accordance with the rule of mixtures can be obtained. This improved wetting behavior was found not to depend on the type of coating.The barrier effect of the coatings allows heat treatments at up to 600°C for short times with high fiber strength yields. Heat treatments of the order of 100 h, however, gradually decrease the composite strength. In order to retain high fiber strength during long heat treatments at high temperatures, a minimum coating thickness of some microns is needed. The preparation of such thicker coatings is discussed in detail. With such a procedure, one can obtain reinforcing elements comparable with commercially available boron or silicon carbide monofilaments.     

氢气气氛下SiC纤维的热稳定性

采用XRD和扫描电镜等分析方法,对国产SiC纤维进行氢气气氛下除去游离碳及纤维高温稳定性的实验研究.在氢气气氛下,将国产SiC纤维分别在900,1200,1500℃和1800℃保温4h,随着温度的升高,纤维质量不断流失,同时纤维结构遭到破坏, 但β-SiC晶化转变不明显,表明国产纤维存在较多的因氧的介入所形成的Si-O-C键,从而影响了纤维在氢气气氛下的高温稳定性.     

Non-contacting strain measurements of ceramic and carbon single fibres by using the laser-speckle method

A non-contacting laser correlation sensor is used to determine the strain of different ceramic (alumina, silicon carbide) and carbon fibres in a single fibre tension test. The diameter of these fibres varies from 15 to only 5 μm, which makes the application of conventional strain sensors impossible. The advantage of the non-contacting method is that the strain is directly measured and end-effects from the gripping system need not to be considered. Results for different ceramic and carbon fibres with linear and non-linear stress–strain curves are presented as an example.     

Mechanical behavior of SiCf/SiC composites with alternating PyC/SiC multilayer interphases

In order to tailor the fiber–matrix interface of continuous silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide (SiC_f/SiC) composites for improved fracture toughness, alternating pyrolytic carbon/silicon carbide (PyC/SiC) multilayer coatings were applied to the KD-I SiC fibers using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Three dimensional (3D) KD-I SiC_f/SiC composites reinforced by these coated fibers were fabricated using a precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) process. The interfacial characteristics were determined by the fiber push-out test and microstructural examination using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of interface coatings on composite mechanical properties was evaluated by single-edge notched beam (SENB) test and three-point bending test. The results indicate that the PyC/SiC multilayer coatings led to an optimum interfacial bonding between fibers and matrix and greatly improved the fracture toughness of the composites.     

Effect of structure of interfacial coating layer on mechanical properties of continuous fiber reinforced reaction sintered silicon carbide matrix composite

A dense silicon carbide matrix composite reinforced by Hi-Nicalon fibers CVD coated with boron nitride and silicon carbide was fabricated by slurry impregnation and subsequent reaction sintering with molten silicon. The effect of the structure and the thickness of the silicon carbide layer of the fiber coating on the mechanical properties of the composite were investigated. That is, three types of silicon carbide layers, namely a dense structure with a thickness of 0.15 m and two porous structures with a thickness of 0.15 m and 0.48 m, respectively, were investigated. As a result, excellent strength property of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) was obtained in the case of the dense silicon carbide (SiC) layer. The thickness effect of the SiC layer on the strength was smaller than that of the structure.     

PVP为纺丝助剂溶胶-凝胶干法纺丝制备连续莫来石纤维

采用硝酸铝(AN)和异丙醇铝(AIP)作为铝源,正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为硅源,添加10%聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)为纺丝助剂,合成了莫来石溶胶,在溶胶-凝胶转变过程中控制溶胶固含量在35%左右,通过干法纺丝可得到连续莫来石凝胶纤维,经过1300℃高温烧结后得到直径16μm莫来石陶瓷纤维。通过高温DSC-TG和XRD测试发现,烧结温度为700℃时开始形成亚稳态莫来石,烧结温度为1300℃时形成了最终态莫来石。通过扫描电镜(FE-SEM)对初生纤维和陶瓷纤维进行测试,制得的莫来石陶瓷纤维表面光滑,缺陷少,结构较致密。     

Study of the structure, morphology, and elemental composition of evaporation products of arc discharge on a combined graphite-vanadium anode

The crystal structure, morphology, and elemental composition of evaporation products of argon arc discharge on graphite electrodes containing vanadium have been studied. It is shown that vanadium carbide V₈C₇ synthesized under these conditions enters the compositions of both the sputtering products formed on the walls of discharge chamber and outgrowth (deposit) formed on the cathode. Carbon fibers up to 0.5 μm in diameter, with external layers reinforced by vanadium carbide molecules, have been found in this outgrowth for the first time. These fibers are assumed to be multiwall microtubes. In addition, the outgrowth contains carbide microcrystals and fibers covered with microcrystals.     

Manufacturing of Silicon Carbide Knit Fabrics

Knit fabric textile structures are processed from silicon carbide multifilament fiber rovings. The minimum bending radius of the various single silicon carbide fibers is determined from loop tension test in order to derive boundary conditions for fiber bending in the knitting process. The processing conditions for knitting are modified in order to reduce buckling and friction acting on the silicon carbide fiber rovings. Fiber knit fabrics are fabricated with a modified 2 Tempi pattern chain which leads to high flexible manufacturing. Compared to woven silicon carbide fabric structures the knitted fiber perform offers a superior flexibility, wider range of pore size and a higher degree of drapability.     

Extreme ultraviolet polarizing optics using bare and aluminum-coated silicon carbide

A deformable three-reflection system that uses a bare silicon carbide substrate can function as an in-line, high-throughput (>30%), 90° phase shifter in the 50-100 nm spectral range. For a given extreme ultraviolet wavelength, an aluminum thin film can be deposited on the silicon carbide substrate to suppress the parallel (p) or perpendicular (s) polarization on single reflection or to introduce quarter-wave retardation and equal reflectances for incident p- and s-polarized light.     

FRM用先进陶瓷纤维及其拉伸强度

陶瓷,其耐热性、耐腐蚀性、功能性等引起人们重视,作为一种新材料而得到开发,其有用性得到了公认。所谓新材料,或明显提高原料纯度,或使其形状极端微细化、微粉化或者薄膜化,或使原料组合、制成合金,从而使材料性能得到空前的发挥。碳化硅(SiC)、硼(B)、氧化铝(Al₂O₃)等陶瓷也可使其形状变成又细又长的纤维状,从而使拉伸强度提高,使陶瓷的使用变得容易起来。本稿将就最近开发的轻质高强陶瓷纤维的性能加以介绍。      

High-purity As-S-Se and As-Se-Te glasses and optical fibers

We describe a procedure for the preparation of As-S-Se and As-Se-Te glasses with low contents of gas-forming impurities (hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon) via melting of extrapure-grade elements in an evacuated silica ampule and purification of the melt by chemical distillation. The impurity concentrations in the glasses thus prepared have been reduced to the following levels: hydrogen, <0.02; oxygen, 0.2; carbon, <0.02; silicon, <0.4 ppm by weight. Using the double-crucible method, we have fabricated glass fibers with various ratios of the core and cladding diameters (1: 25 to 9: 10), protected with a tetrafluoroethylene/1,1-difluoroethylene copolymer coating, which have an average bending strength of 0.5–1 GPa. The minimal optical losses are 150 dB/km at 6.6 μm in multimode As-Se-Te glass fibers and 60 dB/km at 4.8 μm in As-S-Se glass fibers. The effect of microinhomogeneities in the melt on the optical performance of arsenic sulfoselenide glass fibers fabricated by the double-crucible method is examined.