Material Design for High Strength and Toughness of Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites

Abstract

Crack growth behaviors in continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites have been analyzed in termes of stress intensity factors using the finite-element method. Namely, the effects of Young's modulus ratio, Em/Ef, and fiber volume fraction, Vf, on the stress intensity factors have been investigated. As a result, it was confirmed that the stress intensity factor increased with increasing the Young's modulus ratio and decreasing the fiber volume fraction. Also, the results showed that a matrix with a low Young's modulus and a low thermal expansion coefficient is effective for preventing crack growth from the matrix through the fiber.