DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH DENSITY FIBER REINFORCED SILICON CARBIDE FCVI COMPOSITES

Silicon carbide continuous fiber reinforced composites are prepared by Forced flow thermal gradient Chemical Vapor Infiltration. In order to obtain high density and homogeneous ceramic composites the effects of time and thermal gradient across the preform are studied during infiltration. Cross sections of the infiltrated composites are studied with the aid of optical microscopy and image analysis. This manuscript gives an impression of the experimental composite densities and density gradients achieved and critical aspects that play a role in the infiltration process.