Whiskers as perspective input material for production of high temperature resistant ceramic building materials

Abstract

Production of electric power by nuclear power plants (NPP) in the world and in Russia accounts for about 17%. Much attention is currently paid to safe NPP operation and to enhancement of their reliability. Present-day nuclear power plants with high-temperature gas-cooled rectors require development and application of new composite materials capable to withstand high temperatures and mechanical stresses. Ceramic composite materials where whiskers of heat-resistant chemical compounds are used as reinforcement fibers look promising for those purposes. The paper investigates and analyses the opportunity of applying whiskers as reinforcement fibers for heat-resistant composite ceramic building materials. Studies revealed that whiskers of silicon carbide and aluminium nitride are resistant towards high temperature heating without notable change in their chemical composition. It was found out that mono crystals of silicon carbide have higher mechanical strength owing to lack of defects in its structure. Linear heat expansion factors of silicon carbide that are needed for thermo-chemical calculations of composite materials on its base were determined.