SBIR Phase I: Net Shape Fabrication Technology for Fiber Reinforced Composites Densified by Pressureless Sintering

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*** 96-61562 Patterson This Phase I Small Business Innovation Research project will demonstrate the fabrication of dense, strong and tough ceramic laminated matrix composites (CLMCs) through the in-situ alignment, seeding and growth of acicular b DGG1 -Si3N4 particles in Si3N4 reinforcing fibers. These green-state fibers will be incorporated into a a-Si3N4 green-state laminate matrix fabricated by a tape casting and stacking procedure. The key advantage of this processing technology is the ability to do pressureless sintering of the CLMC material to full density thereby significantly reducing the cost and enabling net-shape components to be fabricated. Since the toughening fibers are not yet dense when incorporated into the matrix laminates, the composite structure can be fully densified via pressureless sintering because the fiber and matrix phases will undergo simultaneous densification. This unique materials system, although pressureless sintered, will exhibit many of the characteristics of fiber-reinforced composites sintered via pressure-assisted densification - namely, high density, strength, and toughness achieved through crack bridging and fiber pullout. The Phase I research will demonstrate (-Si3N4 fiber-toughened laminates, thereby establishing a method of fabricating net-shape components (via pressureless sintering) which will exhibit high density and high toughness through mechanisms such as fiber pullout. Fiber-reinforced laminates will be used to fabricate components for turbine engine applications such as combustors, exhaust nozzles, shrouds, flaps and seals. It is anticipated that the successful development of the (-Si3N4 fiber-toughened composite material will provide significant cost savings for the fabrication of ceramic composites. *** Page: 1 DGG1