CMC-Processing from Powders by Hot-Pressing

Hot pressing is an effective way to densify powder compacts, especially during the inclusion of a second phase, such as particles, whiskers or fibers. In the present study, SiC/SiC and C/SiC composites were prepared by hot pressing via liquid phase sintering. Nano-SiC powder was used for matrix formation with sintering additives. The effects of preparation conditions such as sintering temperature, pressure and matrix composition, on the microstructural evolution and mechanical behaviors were discussed. Using micro-SiC powder and nano-SiC powder for matrix formation, the interaction between fiber and matrix was characterized. Because the matrix compositions can be easily modified in the CMC-processing from powders by hot pressing, the SiC-BN matrix was also studied in the present experiment. The inclusion of BN can either improve the machinability or provide oxidation resistance to the composite. BN was derived through an in-situ reaction between boron acid and urea by hot-pressing. Boric acid and urea were solved into the ethanol and mixed with nano-SiC particles, and then infiltrated into the fiber bundles. Correlations among microstructures, properties and compositions will be discussed.