Utilizing the electrical properties of non-oxide ceramic composites to diagnose damage development, test conditions and defects

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Use of acoustic emission and electrical resistivity to detect damage in ceramic matrix composites

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are soon to be used in hot section components of commercial jet engines because of their excellent high temperature thermo-mechanical properties. However, ultimate life of these types of continuous fiber reinforced composites is controlled by the onset and growth of damage in the form of matrix cracks. Waveform-based acoustic emission and more recently the change in electrical resistance with damage have been used in order to characterize, quantify, and monitor matrix cracking with great success. An overview of these techniques and how they have been applied to SiC-based CMCs will be presented as well as future improvements and directions being pursued for these health-monitoring approaches

A simple test for thermomechanical evaluation of ceramic fibers

A simple bend stress relaxation (BSR) test was developed to measure the creep related properties of ceramic fibers and whiskers. The test was applied to a variety of commercial and developmental Si based fibers to demonstrate capabilities and to evaluate the relative creep resistance of the fibers at 1200 to 1400 C. The implications of these results and the advantages of the BSR test over typical tensile creep tests are discussed

Modeling the Elastic Modulus of 2D Woven CVI SiC Composites

The use of fiber, interphase, CVI SiC minicomposites as structural elements for 2D-woven SiC fiber reinforced chemically vapor infiltrated (CVI) SiC matrix composites is demonstrated to be a viable approach to model the elastic modulus of these composite systems when tensile loaded in an orthogonal direction. The 0deg (loading direction) and 90deg (perpendicular to loading direction) oriented minicomposites as well as the open porosity and excess SiC associated with CVI SiC composites were all modeled as parallel elements using simple Rule of Mixtures techniques. Excellent agreement for a variety of 2D woven Hi-Nicalon(TradeMark) fiber-reinforced and Sylramic-iBN reinforced CVI SiC matrix composites that differed in numbers of plies, constituent content, thickness, density, and number of woven tows in either direction (i.e, balanced weaves versus unbalanced weaves) was achieved. It was found that elastic modulus was not only dependent on constituent content, but also the degree to which 90deg minicomposites carried load. This depended on the degree of interaction between 90deg and 0deg minicomposites which was quantified to some extent by composite density. The relationships developed here for elastic modulus only necessitated the knowledge of the fractional contents of fiber, interphase and CVI SiC as well as the tow size and shape. It was concluded that such relationships are fairly robust for orthogonally loaded 2D woven CVI SiC composite system and can be implemented by ceramic matrix composite component modelers and designers for modeling the local stiffness in simple or complex parts fabricated with variable constituent contents

Modeling the Stress Strain Behavior of Woven Ceramic Matrix Composites

Woven SiC fiber reinforced SiC matrix composites represent one of the most mature composite systems to date. Future components fabricated out of these woven ceramic matrix composites are expected to vary in shape, curvature, architecture, and thickness. The design of future components using woven ceramic matrix composites necessitates a modeling approach that can account for these variations which are physically controlled by local constituent contents and architecture. Research over the years supported primarily by NASA Glenn Research Center has led to the development of simple mechanistic-based models that can describe the entire stress-strain curve for composite systems fabricated with chemical vapor infiltrated matrices and melt-infiltrated matrices for a wide range of constituent content and architecture. Several examples will be presented that demonstrate the approach to modeling which incorporates a thorough understanding of the stress-dependent matrix cracking properties of the composite system

Adhesive Bonding of Titanium to Carbon-Carbon Composites for Heat Rejection Systems

High temperature adhesives with good thermal conductivity, mechanical performance, and long term durability are crucial for the assembly of heat rejection system components for space exploration missions. In the present study, commercially available adhesives were used to bond high conductivity carbon-carbon composites to titanium sheets. Bonded pieces were also exposed to high (530 to 600 Kelvin for 24 hours) and low (liquid nitrogen 77K for 15 minutes) temperatures to evaluate the integrity of the bonds. Results of the microstructural characterization and tensile shear strengths of bonded specimens will be reported. The effect of titanium surface roughness on the interface microstructure will also be discussed

Single-Tow Minicomposite Test Used to Determine the Stressed-Oxidation Durability of SiC/SiC Composites

SiC-fiber-reinforced SiC-matrix composites are considered future materials for high temperature (less than 1200 C), air-breathing applications. For these materials to be successful, they must be able to maintain desirable mechanical properties at high temperatures while existing in highly corrosive environments. The critical constituent of a ceramic matrix composite is a thin interphase layer between the fiber and matrix which enables matrix cracks to deflect around the fibers, that is, to perform even when damaged. Unfortunately, the only interphase materials (to date) that offer the desired properties are carbon and boron nitride. Both of these materials react with oxidizing environments to form gaseous or liquid oxidation products that can lead to fiber-strength degradation or strong bonding between the fiber and the matrix at temperatures above approx. 600 C

Stable Boron Nitride Interphases for Ceramic Matrix Composites

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC's) require strong fibers for good toughness and weak interphases so that cracks which are formed in the matrix debond and deflect around the fibers. If the fibers are strongly bonded to the matrix, CMC's behave like monolithic ceramics (e.g., a ceramic coffee cup), and when subjected to mechanical loads that induce cracking, such CMC's fail catastrophically. Since CMC's are being developed for high temperature corrosive environments such as the combustor liner for advanced High Speed Civil Transport aircraft, the interphases need to be able to withstand the environment when the matrix cracks

Burner rig optimization for high temperature materials and coating systems

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Stressed-Oxidation Lifetime of Different SiC Fiber, CVI Matrix SiC Minicomposites in Air

The stressed-oxidation lifetime properties of several minicomposites composed of single fiber tows with a CVI SiC matrix were compared. The minicomposites were made up of Nicalon(Tm) and Hi-Nicalon(Tm) SiC fibers with carbon or BN interphases. Constant load stress-rupture tests were performed between 600 and 13000 C in air for all of the minicomposite systems. Cyclic load testing was performed on the Hi-Nicalon minicomposite systems. The factors controlling the different lifetime behaviors: fiber rupture properties, interphase oxidation, fiber degradation, and fiber-matrix bonding, are discussed in light of different minicomposite constituents. All of the systems were subject to intermediate temperature embrittlement. The Hi-Nicalon fiber, BN interphase system, performed the best for constant load conditions. For cyclic load conditions, both the BN- interphase and C-interphase minicomposites displayed poor, but different failure behavior