Method of applying oxidation protection coating to carbon fibers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10480119-B2
Application number	US-201615352030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 15, 2016
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A method for coating a carbon fiber for a composite structure may comprise applying a slurry onto a surface of the carbon fiber, wherein the slurry is a sol gel comprising a metal precursor and a carrier fluid, and heating the carbon fiber to a temperature sufficient to form a sol gel-derived layer on the carbon fiber. The slurry may comprise a metal precursor such as a metal salt or a metal alkoxide. The sol gel-derived layer may help prevent the carbon fiber from oxidizing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for coating a fiber for a composite structure, comprising:
applying a slurry comprising tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) onto the fiber;
forming an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber (OPF) preform from the fiber;
carbonizing the OPF preform and the slurry;
heating the slurry to a temperature sufficient to form a protective layer on the fiber; and
condensing the slurry into a silicon oxide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is configured to aid in preventing oxidation of the carbon fiber.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the applying the slurry is completed by at least one of submerging the fiber into a slurry bath, spraying the slurry onto the fiber, or brushing the slurry onto the fiber.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the temperature is between 100° C. (212° F.) to about 1100° C. (2012° F.).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer encases the fiber.

6. A method for manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
forming an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber (OPF) preform from a fiber;
carbonizing the OPF preform;
applying a slurry to the carbonized OPF preform;
heating the carbonized OPF preform and the slurry to a temperature sufficient to form a protective layer on the fiber; and
densifying the carbonized OPF preform to form the composite structure.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the applying the slurry is completed by at least one of submerging the fiber into a slurry bath, spraying the slurry onto a surface of the fiber, or brushing the slurry onto the surface of the fiber.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the protective layer is configured to help prevent oxidation of the fiber.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the slurry comprises at least one of aluminum nitrate, calcium nitrate, aluminum sec butoxide, aluminum tri-sec butoxide, aluminum isopropoxide, aluminum oxide, and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS).

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising applying a second protective layer to an outer surface of the composite structure.

11. A method for manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
forming an oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber (OPF) preform from a fiber;
coating the OPF preform with a slurry;
carbonizing the coated OPF preform;
heating the carbonized OPF preform and the slurry to a temperature sufficient to form a protective layer on the carbonized OPF preform; and
densifying the carbonized OPF preform to form the composite structure.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Poteet Steven A
• Richards Gavin Charles

Classifications

• C04B35/83

  Carbon fibres in a carbon matrix · CPC title

• C04B35/62849

  Silica or silicates · CPC title

• B05D1/02

  performed by spraying · CPC title

• F16D2200/0052

  Carbon · CPC title

• C04B2235/3418

  Silicon oxide, silicic acids or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. silica sol, fused silica, silica fume, cristobalite, quartz or flint · CPC title