Mechanical Properties of SiC-Fiber-Reinforced Reaction-Bonded Silicon Carbide
С. Н. Перевислов, Л. Е. Афанасьева, Н. И. Бакланова
Abstract
Reaction-bonded silicon carbide materials have been produced by infiltrating molten silicon into porous bodies consisting of silicon carbide, carbon black, and tungsten-core silicon carbide fibers. Their microstructure and mechanical properties have been studied as functions of reinforcing fiber content. Their bending strength, hardness, and modulus of elasticity have been shown to drop with increasing fiber content because of the increase in the porosity of the composite. At the same time, the fracture toughness of the composite rises to 5.2 MPa m1/2 as the fiber content is raised to 8%. Thus, the mechanical properties of the composite can be improved by optimizing its microstructure and reinforcing fiber content.