Carbon Fiber Reinforced Silicon Carbide Research Articles

Machining of Cf/SiC composite with indigenously developed nano green cutting fluid: Machined surface fibre morphology

The Carbon fibre reinforced Silicon Carbide (Cf/Sic) composites are widely used in different industries such as automotive, aerospace, etc. The Cf/SiC is indigenous developed and detail of the fabrication procedure is presented. The nano fluid, namely Graphene Oxide Organo Boron (GOOB) is developed indigenously for using as the cutting fluid. This nano fluid is mixed in green cutting fluid (GCF) in different proportions and the concentration is optimized. The nano fluid is characterized by advanced techniques for the confirmation. To reduce the surface roughness on the fabricated Cf/SiC, end milling operation is carried out with different machining environments such as dry, flood cooling with cutting fluid and nano fluid and minimum quantity cutting fluid with nano fluid. The machining operations are carried out by varying different input parameters, namely, cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The results indicated that the minimum surface roughness of 1.845 μm is obtained when 0.5 % GOOB with GCF is used. This work would benefit the researchers exploring the preparation and interaction mechanism of the indigenously developed nano green cutting fluid for machining Cf/SiC-based ceramic matrix composites.

Splashing effects and mechanism in water jet-guided laser processing of Cf/SiC composites

Water jet-guided laser (WJGL) processing of ceramic matrix composites offers smooth cutting surfaces and minimizes defects such as delamination, burrs, and recast layers. However, the processing ability of WJGL is limited by the stability of the water jet. Splashing is a critical factor that affects water jet stability. This study investigates the splashing morphology and its impact mechanism during WJGL processing of continuous carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (Cf/SiC) composites. High-speed cameras were used to capture splashing morphologies and laser transmission states during drilling and grooving. The results indicate that the splashing morphology was significantly affected by the water jet speed and the micro-hole/groove depth, resulting in behaviors such as water accumulation, droplets falling, rebound droplets, splash impact, water film, and mist, which distorted or even broke the water jet. The laser escaped in the distorted water jet, leading to a reduction in material removal rate. The splashing at the water jet speed of 160 m/s resulted in a 61.1 % reduction in material removal rate during drilling compared to 40 m/s. In addition, a method of placing a porous water-absorbing material on the workpiece surface was proposed, which effectively improved the material removal rate. This paper presents a theoretical basis for comprehending and addressing splashing in WJGL processing.

Combined hybrid machining of laser ablation-drilling small holes in Cf/SiC composites

Carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide composite material (Cf/SiC) serves as a typical advanced material for fabricating hot-end components of aircraft engines. Its unique properties, including high hardness and anisotropy, pose significant challenges in processing. Nevertheless, a crucial structural element of hot-end components, specifically the cooling and heat dissipation holes, necessitates hole machining within the Cf/SiC composites. The intricate nature of machining this material often leads to compromised surface quality and severe wear on cutting tools during the hole machining process. This study delves into the feasibility of combined hybrid machining of laser ablation-drilling(L-DCM) for fabricating small holes in woven Cf/SiC composites, along with elucidating the underlying material removal mechanisms. The findings reveal approach significantly enhances the cutting performance of hard alloys tools when dealing with ceramic matrix composites. Notably, the wear mechanisms of the cutting tools primarily involve abrasive wear and adhesive wear. The primary processing defects observed in the small holes include fiber pullout at the entrance and exit, as well as material delamination at the exit, which are primarily attributed to debonding at the layer interface and brittle fracture of the matrix. The subsequent drilling process, conducted based on laser drilling, effectively eliminates thermal defects such as the heat-affected zone and recast layer, as well as morphological defects like taper. Additionally, this approach mitigates the tool wear process, minimizes the impact of compression effects on material removal, and enhances the shear action of the tool. Consequently, the layer interface remains securely bonded and intact after processing, thereby preserving the material's strength.

Identification of component material in-situ properties of C/SiC composites based on self-consistent clustering analysis and Bayesian method

In the paper, a method for identifying the mechanical properties of the in-situ component materials in carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites based on the macro mechanical test data is proposed. Firstly, the computation efficiency of considering damage behavior in the meso-mechanial model is improved through the self-consistent clustering analysis. Subsequently, sensitivity analysis is introduced in the parameter identification based on the Bayesian network to reduce the number of parameters to be identified simultaneously, thereby alleviating the ill-posedness of the inverse problem. Numerical and experimental cases were conducted to validate the proposed method. The maximum error of parameter identification is 6.0 % and the prediction error for strength is only 1.7 % in the numerical case with 5 % Gaussian noise. In the experimental case, the stress–strain curve calculated using the identified results shows good agreement with the experimental data. The prediction error for strength is only 2.2 %, while the maximum deviation between the identified results and the reference value in the literature can be up to 50 %, indicating the importance of obtaining the properties of component materials in-situ.

Internal damage evolution of C/SiC composites in air at 1650 °C studied by in-situ synchrotron X-ray imaging

Carbon fibre reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) ceramic matrix composites have attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional properties and extensive potential applications as high-temperature structural materials. However, due to their complex structure and manufacturing defects, C/SiC composites exhibit intricate mechanical behaviour under thermal-mechanical-oxidative coupling environments. To date, systematic studies on the internal damage evolution and failure mechanisms of C/SiC composites under high-temperature oxidative environments are lacking. In this study, a combination of synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (SR-μCT) and in-situ experiments under thermal-mechanical-oxidative coupling environments at room temperature and 1650 °C in air was used to characterize the internal microstructures and damage evolution processes of C/SiC composites at different loading levels. Additionally, the 3D strain fields during in-situ loading were quantitatively analysed using the Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) method. The findings underscore the substantial impact of oxidative damage on the mechanical response of C/SiC composites, particularly concerning tensile properties and fracture modes. At room temperature, severe delamination, fibre bundle pull-out and interfacial debonding occurred internally. Whereas, under high-temperature atmospheric conditions, severe fibre oxidation reactions occurred at the specimen edges, resulting in rapid porosity escalation. Crack initiation from surface defects followed by rapid inward propagation is observed. Moreover, while the strain distribution remains relatively uniform until fracture, a pronounced concentration of strain is evident near the fracture zones at room temperature, with an even greater concentration observed at 1650 °C. Notably, the region of concentrated strain within the 3D deformation field corresponds closely to the final fracture location, as revealed by quantitative DVC analysis.

Fabrication of carbon fiber reinforced SiC composites based on laser directed energy deposition

Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (CF/SiC) are widely applied in aerospace and other industries fields for its extraordinary properties. Nevertheless, traditional preparation processes encounter the challenges of long cyclicality, high economic cost due to the increasing requests. Consequently, this work integrates the CF/SiC composites with the novel laser directed energy deposition (L-DED) printing technology, which is differing from conventional 3D printing technology for it omits the post-processing procedure. CF/SiC composites are designed and manufactured efficiently, and the effects of carbon fiber addition are analyzed. Mechanical properties are utilized to characterize the internal bonding strength and the results reveal that the maximum flexural and compressive reach 119.33 ± 4.04 MPa and 396.20 ± 10.21 MPa, respectively, attributed to the enhanced crack propagation resistance caused by the carbon fiber addition. At the same time, this paper not only characterizes the performance through objective experimental data, but also expounds the formation mechanism of pores and cracks through material analysis. In conclusion, this work pioneers the application of L-DED molding technology to CF/SiC composites fabrication and validated its preparation capability, which not only improves the efficiency but also opens up a new path for CF/SiC composites preparation in the field of 3D printing.

Friction and Wear Mechanics of Fe-Based PM Pad Paired with Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/C-SiC) Disk Under High-Speed Braking

Powder metallurgy (PM) brake pads pair with carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide (C/C-SiC) brake disk have been considered as one of the potential candidates for high-speed train applications. In this work, the braking test for iron-based PM (Fe-PM) pads paired with C/C-SiC brake disk at high speeds was conducted on a full-scale flywheel braking dynamometer. With the increasing of initial brake speed (IBS) to 380 km/h, the mean coefficient of friction (µm) gradually decreased, while the wear rate (Wr) of pad got significant increased. The wear pattern of the Fe-PM pad transitioned from abrasive and adhesive wear to oxidative wear with the increasing of IBS, explaining the variations in µm and Wr. Throughout the braking process, wear debris from Fe-PM pad tended to accumulate, forming a dense transfer film (TF) on the C/C-SiC disk. This TF cracked and peeled off due to thermal stress during the braking process. However, analysis of the interior side of the TF revealed that the peeling only caused slight exfoliation of carbon fibers on the surface of the C/C-SiC disk.

Mechanical and microstructure characterisation of 2.5D C/C-SiC composites applied for the brake disc of high-speed train

Carbon fibre reinforced silicon carbide (C/C-SiC) composite materials have attracted increasing attention in brake system of high-speed trains, due to their low density, high specific strength, thermal stability, and frictional wear performance. This study aims to explore the mechanical properties of the 2.5D C/C-SiC composites, in order to characterise its potential application to the friction braking system of high-speed trains. To comprehensively evaluate the mechanical performance of the 2.5D C/C-SiC composites, the chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) method was adopted to prepare novel samples with high densification and low content of residual Si. The mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of the composites were investigated under various loading conditions, including tension, compression, bending, and shear tests. The experimental results indicated that the 2.5D C/C-SiC composites exhibited superior mechanical properties, with average in-plane tensile strength, compressive strength, bending strength, and interlaminar shear strength reaching 127.67 MPa, 326.92 MPa, 355.74 MPa, and 9.77 MPa, respectively, which are 2–8 times higher than the mechanical properties of C/C-SiC composites in existing publications. Under different loading conditions, the composites demonstrated characteristics of ductile fracture, pseudo-plastic compression fracture, pseudo-plastic bending fracture, and brittle shear fracture. Both high fibre content and the formation of SiC structure were advantageous for enhancing the load-bearing performance of C/C-SiC composites. The outstanding mechanical properties of the 2.5D C/C-SiC composite render the brake disc highly resistant to deformation and cracking under high stress, thereby enhancing its durability and establishing it as the ideal material for the next generation of high-speed train brake discs.

Investigation on high-precision drilling of Cf/SiC composites with brazed diamond core-drill

Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix (Cf/SiC) composites have promising applications as lightweight and hot end components due to their unique mechanical and high-temperature properties. However, high-precision drilling of Cf/SiC composites is still a difficult task, which is attributed to material's high hardness, anisotropy, and heterogeneity. In this work, a kind of core-drill with cemented carbide as shank and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) as grits, was prepared with vacuum brazing method. Experiments on drilling of 2D-Cf/SiC composite with the brazed core-drill were carried out. The effects of drilling parameters on the hole dimensional accuracy, surface roughness and defects were investigated. The results showed that with the increase of spindle speed and the decrease of feed rate, the dimensional accuracy was improved and surface roughness was reduced. Delamination, burr, and hole edge collapse were the main defects. The feed rate had a significant influence on the formation of defects. When the feed per revolution was equivalent to the diameter of a single carbon fiber, the defects were reduced effectively and the hole quality was improved substantially. In the investigated range of parameters, the optimal spindle speed and feed rate for high-precision drilling of Cf/SiC composites were 5000 r/min and 30 mm/min, respectively. Under this condition, the hole dimension accuracy was IT 10, and barely defects were observed on the machined surface. The surface roughness of hole sidewall reached a minimum value of 1.9 μm. This work provides a vital process for high-precision drilling on fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites.

Ultra-precision grinding damage suppression strategy for 2.5D-Cf-SiCs by resin coating protection

2.5D carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide composites (2.5D-CfSiCs) are extensively applied in the aerospace industry based on excellent properties. However, surface quality is an important challenge. This study proposes a new method to improve the surface quality by coating the surface with resin and extending the surrounding edges, followed by ultra-precision grinding. The experimental results showed that the resin coating improved the quality of the machined surface and reduced edge spalling. The resin coating effectively protects the composite surface from grinding damage, while the extension of the resin helps to reduce edge damage. Resin coating can improve the surface quality, resulting in a more uniform surface. Therefore, this method provides a new way to improve the application potential of 2.5D-Cf-SiCs.

Analysis of fiber-reinforced silicon carbide formed via material extrusion

Here, we report a method for fabrication of robust and near-net shaped carbon-fiber reinforced silicon carbide (Cf/SiC) through the additive manufacturing method of material extrusion. The addition of fibers allows for enhanced damage tolerance and thermal shock resistance but little is known about the resulting affects to resulting ink rheology, printability and resulting fiber alignment in the printed components. As such, three separate inks were developed with carbon fiber loadings of 0 %, 5 % and 15 % by volume. All inks had requisite rheology for material extrusion to fabricate near-net and dense components via pressureless sintering with densities of 93.95 %, 92.11 %, and 85.65 %, respectively. Micro X-ray computed tomography and deep learning auto-segmentation was utilized to fully describe the fiber orientation in 3D, revealing highly oriented fibers. 4-point flexure testing was performed on as-printed bend bars for all 3 ink compositions. The bars had robust average flexural strengths of 114–260 MPa, with a decrease in strength observed in fiber-reinforced samples as attributed to a decrease in sample density. However, an increase in Weibull modulus (18.0 compared to 7.0–7.3) and observed fiber pull out for the 15 % Cf samples suggest promise in toughening and reliability of fiber reinforcements. Oxyacetylene torch testing was performed on all 3 types of printed parts to study the oxidation and ablation resistance of the silicon carbide samples with fibers. Only samples with fiber reinforcements survived thermal shock of testing further emphasizing the need and benefit of fiber inclusions.

Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites by Vertical Fiber Laying Combined with Material Extrusion 3D Printing

3D printing is reported in the fabrication of continuous carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (Cf/SiC CMCs), however, there are layer defects in the 3D printed materials, manifested as weak mechanical properties between layers. Therefore, it is essential and urgent to study how to improve the mechanical properties of 3D printed Cf/SiC CMCs at the layers. In this article, a novel processing technique which combined vertical fiber laying method with material extrusion (ME) 3D printing is proposed to manufacture Cf/SiC CMCs. A self‐developed 3D printing fixed‐axis rotating lifting synchronizer is adopted. The vertical fiber laying of continuous carbon fibers (Cf) in Z‐direction is introduced into the X−Y printing plane. Five cycles of precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) are performed to achieve the densification of Cf/SiC CMCs. The effects of Cf bundle numbers on the flexural strength and fracture work of Cf/SiC CMCs are studied. The best performing composite is Cf/SiC CMC with six bundles, and the maximum flexural strength and fracture work is 63.84 ± 6.62 MPa and 1291.99 ± 161.39 J m−3, respectively. Compared with pure SiC, the fracture work of Cf/SiC CMC with 6 bundles Cf is increased by 2.54 times.

Investigation of Yb2SiO5/BSAS/Si coating on Cf/SiC composites: processing and steam corrosion behavior

Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs) are used to protect silicon carbide-based composites in the high-temperature steam combustion environment of the latest generation of high-efficiency gas turbine aero-engines. The Yb2SiO5/BSAS/Si coatings with gradient coefficient of thermal expansion were prepared using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) method on the carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (Cf/SiC) composites surface. The coating preparation process parameters were optimized by evaluating the influence of spraying power on the bonding strength, deposition efficiency, and porosity. The corrosion behaviors and mechanism of the optimized Yb2SiO5/BSAS/Si coating was investigated at 1200 ℃ by thermal cycle test in steam conditions. The results indicated that the decomposition of Yb2SiO5 and the conversion of SiO2 to Si(OH)4 were the main corrosion reactions of Yb2SiO5 top coating. Noticeably, the SiO2 component acted as an obvious sign of the reaction front diffusing, forming the clear SiO2-gradient layers. The gradient Yb2SiO5/BSAS/Si coating remained intact after thermal cycles for 500 h at 1200 ℃ in steam conditions which effectively enhanced the resistance of Cf/SiC composites to high temperature steam corrosion.

In situ X-ray imaging and numerical modeling of damage accumulation in C/SiC composites at temperatures up to 1200 °C

Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix composites (C/SiC) have emerged as key materials for thermal protection systems owing to their high strength-to-weight ratio, high-temperature durability, resistance to oxidation, and outstanding reliability. However, manufacturing defects deteriorate the mechanical response of these composites under extreme thermal-force coupling conditions, prompting significant research attention. This study demonstrates a customized in situ loading device compatible with synchrotron radiation facilities, enabling high spatial and temporal resolution recording of internal material damage evolution and failure behavior under thermal-force coupling conditions. Infrared thermal radiation units in a confocal configuration were used to create ultra-high-temperature environments, offering advantages of compactness, rapid heating, and versatility. In situ tensile tests were conducted on C/SiC samples in a nitrogen atmosphere at both room temperature and 1200 °C. The high-resolution image data demonstrate various failure phenomena, such as matrix cracking and pore linkage. Image-based finite element simulations indicate that the temperature-dependent variation of the failure mechanism is attributable to thermal residual stresses and defect-induced stress concentrations. This work seamlessly integrates extreme mechanical testing methods with in situ observation techniques, providing a comprehensive solution for accurately quantifying crack initiation, pore connection, and failure behavior of C/SiC composites.

High strength and high toughness Csf/SiC composites prepared by laser powder bed fusion/ reactive melt infiltration with the impregnation of boron-and silicone-containing phenolic resin

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) has emerged as an effective method for preparing complex structured silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics. However, the SiC components demonstrate low strength and high brittleness, which remain major challenges limiting its application. To overcome this limitation, short carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (Csf/SiC) composites are prepared by combining LPBF and phenolic resin binder impregnation (PRBI)-reactive melt infiltration (RMI), in which high char yield boron-and silicone-containing phenolic resin (BSiPF) impregnation is used to adjust the carbon density of green bodies and to reduce the pore size of green bodies. By optimizing the impregnation process, the carbon density can be brought close to the theoretical optimal value of 0.84 g/cm3, and the reduction of the pore size is conducive to the improvement of the reaction rate at the early stage of the reaction, which enhance the SiC phase content of Csf/SiC composites obtained by RMI. Meanwhile, the application of BSiPF results in a protective pyrolytic carbon (PyC) coating on the surface of Csf, which can reduce the erosion of Csf by molten Si during the RMI process, thus improving the fracture toughness of Csf/SiC composites. The final Csf/SiC composites exhibit the enhanced bulk density, bending strength and fracture toughness, reaching 2.90 ± 0.01 g/cm3, 257 ± 20 MPa, 3.52 ± 0.15 MPa m1/2, respectively. This study provides a new strategy for effective impregnation technique for the additive manufacturing (AM) of high strength and high toughness SiC composites.

Cross-scale static/dynamic shear damage evolution mechanism of 2D C/SiC ceramic matrix composite with transient hysteresis effect

The intricate woven structure of two-dimensional woven carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide (2D C/SiC) poses challenges to the investigation of damage failure mechanisms and the prediction of material performance, thereby limiting its further application in aerospace engineering. In this work, static/dynamic short beam shear tests with different densities of 2D C/SiC were carried out. It was observed that high-density specimens with fewer microporous defects exhibited better strength characteristics than those with lower density. Specifically, the shear strength of 2D C/SiC with a density of 2.07 g/cm³ increased by 18.6% compared to that of the specimen with a density of 1.94 g/cm³. The transient hysteresis strengthening effect of materials at high strain rates was discovered through cross scale research methods. It was found that deformation coordination ability of 2D C/SiC under dynamic loading was weaker than that under quasi-static conditions. Moreover, the deformation hysteresis in temporal and spatial distributions induced significant fiber plucking, further accelerating dislocation movement within the internal lattice and thereby enhancing strength of the material. The failure path of materials often follows the direction of pore defects, and stress concentration leads to cracking behavior of fiber bundles. Furthermore, microcracks within the matrix, caused by residual stress, resulted in localized regions of reduced strength. This induced the matrix cracking failure with further crack expansion within the material structure under external loads. To provide technical references for practical engineering applications and design, a realistic and effective finite element prediction model was developed for 2D C/SiC composites based on their structural characteristics.

Characterization, quantitative evaluation, and formation mechanism of surface damage in ultrasonic vibration assisted scratching of Cf/SiC composites

Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (Cf/SiC composites) have a wide range of applications in aerospace, nuclear energy, braking systems owing to its excellent mechanical performance. Nevertheless, the hardness, brittleness, heterogeneity, and anisotropy of Cf/SiC composites give rise to difficulties in machining them. In addition, the characterization and formation mechanism of surface damage in the grinding of Cf/SiC composites have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this paper is to provide a characterization method for surface damage of Cf/SiC composites and an evaluation index for surface edge chipping damage (SECD) through conventional scratching (CS) / ultrasonic vibration assisted scratching (UVAS) tests with single abrasive. Towards revealing the surface damage behavior of Cf/SiC composites during scratching, as well as the impact of fiber orientation on surface damage. The findings indicate that main forms of surface damage of Cf/SiC composites in single abrasive scratching are fiber breakage, fiber fracture-shedding, fiber fracture, fiber-matrix interface debonding, interface fragmentation, matrix cracking, and matrix microcracks. Further, ultrasonic vibration could help to suppress the SECD, and the SECD factor was smallest when scratching along the perpendicular fiber. Furthermore, the fiber orientation can significantly affect the scratching force and cross-sectional area of scratches on Cf/SiC composites via single abrasive scratching. The tangential scratching force was usually smaller as compared to the normal scratching force, and the cross-sectional area of scratches in UVAS is smaller than that in CS. Based on the above findings, this study elucidates the formation and evolution of surface damage after scratching under different fiber orientations, filling the research gap in surface damage under ultrasonic assisted machining of Cf/SiC composites and providing technical guidance for the machining.

Additive manufacturing of high-performance CCF/SiC composites under dual protection

In this work, chopped carbon fibre reinforced silicon carbide (CCF/SiC) composites were fabricated by selective laser sintering (SLS) combined with reaction melt infiltration (RMI), using the SiC interface and pyrolytic carbon layer as a dual protection to protect the CCF from the erosion of molten silicon. The pyrolytic carbon layer encapsulates the CCF@SiC and the outer carbon preferentially reacts with silicon to form a β-SiC layer, which hinders the reaction of liquid silicon to CCF. Moreover, the fine-crystal β-SiC generated by the Si–C reaction optimizes the microstructure and enhances the mechanical performance of CCF/SiC composites. The CCF under the dual protection maintains its original high strength and high modulus, and the toughness of the CCF/SiC composites is significantly improved through the fibre debonding and fibre pull-out mechanism. The bending strength and toughness of CCF/SiC composites are 265.2 MPa and 3.5 MPa m1/2, respectively. The insights gained from this study contribute to a better understanding of microstructural engineering in SLS&RMI-fabricated CCF/SiC composites. This paves the way for future breakthroughs in composite material design and low-cost manufacturing for extreme environments.

Investigation of in-plane and out-of-plane micro-hole drilling on 2D-Cf/SiC composites

Carbon fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composites (Cf/SiCs) are extensively utilized in the field of aviation and aerospace because of their superior mechanical qualities. However, it is difficult to machine high-quality small holes on them. To investigate the characteristics of micro-drilling on Cf/SiCs, the polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tool was used to machine holes on the in-plan and out-of-plan surfaces of Cf/SiC composites. The drilling force, the hole morphology and quality were explored. The mechanisms of material removal and tool wear were studied. The size effect during the micro-drilling process was also investigated. The outcomes showed that the out-of-plane drilling process yielded more thrust force and torque than the in-plane drilling process. The main forms of damage at the hole entrance and exit are tearing and burrs during in-plane drilling. The damage is mainly in the form of edge breaking caused by debonding and fracture of longitudinal fiber during out-of-plane drilling. The surface defects of the hole exit and entrance during out-of-plane drilling are fewer than those during in-plane drilling. The roundness errors of holes during in-plane drilling are fewer than those during out-of-plane drilling. Additionally, the surface roughness of the hole wall during in-plane drilling is less. Besides, brittle and ductile removal areas were observed at different fiber orientation angles (FOA). Furthermore, the rapid rise in specific cutting energy and the deterioration of surface quality when the feed rate is much smaller than the cutting edge proves the presence of the size effect. A new observation was that the abrasive wear of the flank face and chisel edge during out-of-plane drilling was more severe than that of in-plane drilling.

Cf/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites with Extraordinary Thermomechanical Properties up to 2000 °C.

The thermomechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (Cf/SiC CMCs) were studied up to 2000 °C using high-temperature in situ flexural testing in argon. The CMC specimens were fabricated using an ultrahigh concentration (66 vol%) aqueous slurry containing nano-sized silicon carbide powder. The SiC powder compacts were obtained by drying the slurry and were densified using the precursor impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP) method with field assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS). The high relative density of the SiC green body (77.6%) enabled densification within 2.5 days using four PIP cycles. In contrast, conventional PIP processes take over 7 days. The in situ flexural strength of the Cf/SiC CMC was 434 MPa at 1750 °C, which was 84% higher than the room temperature value. The value further increased to 542 MPa at 2000 °C. Possible mechanisms to explain the excellent strength of the CMC at elevated temperatures are discussed.