5 - Advances in the manufacture of ceramic matrix composites using infiltration techniques

Abstract

Ceramic matrix composites reinforced with long fibers are commonly fabricated by infiltration methods, in which the ceramic matrix is formed from a fluid infiltrating into the fiber structure. Infiltration techniques differ from each other in the types of fluids and the processes for converting the fluid into a ceramic: polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP), chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), reactive melt infiltration (RMI), slurry infiltration, sol-gel infiltration. This chapter discusses the formation of the ceramic matrix microstructure, properties of the interface and the benefits and drawbacks of the composites prepared by the different techniques. Fabrication routes including the stages of preform preparation, interphase deposition, preceramic fluid infiltration and thermal processing are described.