Rapid synthesis of silicon carbide-carbon composites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9321692-B2
Application number	US-53370609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2009
Priority date	Aug 6, 2008
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Production of pore-free carbon/carbon-silicon carbide composite materials with mechanical properties making them suitable for use in such applications as the production of aircraft landing system brake components including brake discs. The method includes: providing a porous carbon-carbon composite preform; surrounding the porous carbon-carbon composite preform with silicon powder to form an intermediate construct; applying a uniaxial load to the construct; applying direct electrical current to an assembly containing the loaded construct of porous carbon-carbon preform surrounded by silicon powder, thereby melting the silicon powder and infiltrating the pores of the carbon-carbon preform with liquid silicon; and initiating a combustion-type reaction between the silicon and carbon in the preform, thereby forming silicon carbide in the preform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of synthesizing silicon carbide-carbon composites, the method comprising:
applying a uniaxial load to an intermediate construct comprising a porous carbon-carbon composite preform surrounded by silicon powder;
applying direct electrical current to an assembly comprising the loaded intermediate construct comprising the porous carbon-carbon composite preform surrounded by the silicon powder, thereby melting the silicon powder and infiltrating pores of the carbon-carbon composite preform with liquid silicon; and
initiating a combustion-type reaction between the silicon and carbon in the preform, thereby forming silicon carbide in the preform.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direct electrical current is 100 amps to 1000 amps, and wherein applying direct electrical current to the assembly comprises applying the direct electrical current to the assembly for 10 seconds to 100 seconds.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the direct electrical current is 300 amps to 600 amps, and wherein applying direct electrical current to the assembly comprises applying the direct electrical current to the assembly for 30 seconds to 70 seconds.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uniaxial load ranges from 50 lb f to 1000 lb f .

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon powder has a particle size of less than 100 mesh (149 microns).

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to applying the uniaxial load:
positioning the carbon-carbon composite preform in a graphite sleeve; and
surrounding the carbon-carbon composite preform with the silicon powder.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein applying direct electrical current to the assembly comprising the loaded intermediate construct comprising the porous carbon-carbon composite preform surrounded by the silicon powder comprises applying direct electrical current to the assembly via electrodes positioned on opposite sides of the graphite sleeve.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying direct electrical current to the assembly comprising the loaded intermediate construct comprising the porous carbon-carbon composite preform surrounded by the silicon powder comprises passing the direct electrical current through the carbon-carbon composite preform.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying direct electrical current to the assembly comprising the loaded intermediate construct comprising the porous carbon-carbon composite preform surrounded by the silicon powder comprises heating the intermediate construct at a rate of 10 2 Kelvin per second (K/s) to 10 3 K/s.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the uniaxial load to the intermediate construct comprises applying the uniaxial load to the intermediate construct via a pneumatic system.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon-carbon composite preform has an annular shape.

Assignees

• Koucouthakis Manuel
• Steinke Douglas J
• Mukasyan Alexander
• White Jeremiah D E
• Honeywell Int Inc
• Univ Notre Dame Du Lac

Inventors

• Koucouthakis Manuel
• Steinke Douglas J
• Mukasyan Alexander
• White Jeremiah D E

Classifications

• C04B35/645

  Pressure sintering · CPC title

• F16D2200/0047

  Ceramic composite, e.g. C/C composite infiltrated with Si or B, or ceramic matrix infiltrated with metal · CPC title

• C04B35/573 Primary

  obtained by reaction sintering {or recrystallisation} · CPC title

• C04B2235/666

  Applying a current during sintering, e.g. plasma sintering [SPS], electrical resistance heating or pulse electric current sintering [PECS] · CPC title

• C04B2235/5256

  Two-dimensional, e.g. woven structures · CPC title