Non-oxide (Silicon Carbide) Fibers

Abstract

Non-oxide ceramic fibers are being considered for many applications, but are currently being developed and produced primarily as continuous-length structural reinforcement for ceramic matrix composites (CMC). Since only those fiber types with compositions based on silicon carbide (SiC) have demonstrated their general applicability for this application, this chapter focuses on commercially available SiC-based ceramic fiber types of current interest for CMC and on our current state of experimental and mechanistic knowledge concerning their production methods, microstructures, physical properties, and mechanical properties at room and high temperatures. Particular emphasis is placed on those properties required for successful implementation of the SiC fibers in high-temperature CMC components. It is shown that significant advances have been made in recent years concerning SiC fiber production methods, thereby resulting in pure near-stoichiometric small-diameter fibers that provide most of the CMC fiber property requirements, except for low cost.