TEXAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE , AUSTIN, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N222-127

Description

TRI Austin will demonstrate that the volumetric heating response of reinforcing SiC fibers and carbon fibers (CFs) can be utilized for processing SiC-SiC and SiC-C composites using the polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) method. Volumetric heating methods allow for more uniform and out-of-furnace processing of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Although preceramic polymers have low electrical conductivity and poor dielectric properties, the addition of susceptor fillers can enable their volumetric heating. This approach offers uniform volumetric and localized heating and thus better and more uniform mechanical properties of the final products, while at the same time, lowering the cost of CMC manufacturing and reducing processing time, energy consumption and carbon footprint. Volumetric heating can be used to control thermal distribution in composite preforms and prevent cracking or entrapment of gases formed during high temperature reactions. Since this approach can be carried out in an out-of-oven setup, the prospect for repeatable, layered deposition means that this concept could form the basis for an additive manufacturing technology.