Fabrication and properties of three-directional orthogonal aluminosilicate fiber fabric-reinforced mullite composite

In this study, a three-directional orthogonal aluminosilicate fiber fabric-reinforced mullite composite with excellent properties was prepared by the precursor impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) method. The influence of the number of PIP cycles on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite was studied. The density and mechanical properties of the composite enhanced with increasing number of PIP cycles. After the 6th PIP cycle, the density of the composite increased by only 0.8%, and the flexural strength and fracture toughness of the composite reached 130.1 MPa and 4.91 MPa m^1/2, respectively. Moreover, the thermal shock resistance of the composite was investigated by the high-low temperature (from 1300 °C to room temperature) thermal treatment and water quenching method. The strength retention rate of the composite after 10 high-low temperature thermal cycles was 90.1%; the retention rate dropped to 79.5% after 15 thermal cycles. The composite with the critical thermal shock temperature difference 843.9 °C displayed excellent thermal shock resistance.