Title: Some properties of silicon carbide composites fabricated with chopped Si-Al-C fibres

Authors: Kiyoshi Itatani, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Ian J. Davies, Mamoru Aizawa, Isao Okada, Hiroshi Suemasu, Akira Nozue

Addresses: Department of Chemistry, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan. ' Department of Chemistry, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan. ' Advanced Fibro-Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan. ' Department of Chemistry, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan. ' Department of Chemistry, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics reinforced with 10∼50 mass% of chopped Si-Al-C fibre (average length; 394µm) and 5 mol% of A1₄C₃ as a sintering aid were fabricated by hot pressing at 1800°C for 30 min under a pressure of 31 MPa. The hot-pressed SiC compact with 40 mass% of chopped Si-Al-C fibre addition showed a maximum relative density (96.8%) among the specimens examined and a Vickers hardness (H_v) of 28.3 GPa. The highest fracture toughness (K_IC) (3.9 MPa • m^1/2) was achieved at 30 mass% of Si-Al-C fibre addition. These H_v and K_IC values were higher than those (H_v ;17.0 GPa and K_IC 2.1 MPa • m^1/2

Keywords: silicon carbide; Si-Al-C fibre; ceramic matrix composites; fibre reinforcement; hot pressing; hardness; fracture toughness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2001.005436

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2001 Vol.16 No.1/2/3, pp.239 - 247

Published online: 01 Oct 2004 *

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