Claims
- 1. A method for pressure infiltration of a fiber preform with a matrix material comprising:
- providing a pressurized chamber;
- heating a bath of the matrix material within the pressurized chamber to a temperature above the melting temperature of the matrix material;
- providing a temperature gradient along an elongated entering orifice to the bath of molten matrix material, the temperature gradient selected to maintain matrix material in the entering orifice in an entirely solid state at a location farthest from the bath, in an entirely liquid state closest to the bath, and in both the liquid and solid states therebetween;
- moving a fiber preform through the entering orifice into the bath of molten matrix material and out of the bath, the fiber preform becoming infiltrated with molten matrix material in the bath;
- allowing the matrix material to solidify within the fiber preform in in a gas environment in the pressurized chamber outside of the bath; and
- directing the fiber preform through an exiting orifice in the pressurized chamber, the exiting orifice sealing the pressurized chamber from gas losses.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a temperature gradient along an elongated exiting orifice from the bath of molten matrix material, the temperature gradient selected to maintain matrix material in the exiting orifice in an entirely liquid state closest to the bath, and in both the liquid and solid states farthest from the bath.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fiber preform is moved upwardly.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix material comprises aluminum, titanium, chromium, cobalt, zinc, lead, copper, or superalloys of nickel, chromium or cobalt.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix material comprises alloys of aluminum, titanium, chromium, cobalt, zinc, lead, or copper.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fiber preform comprises a ceramic, graphite, or a metal.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ceramic comprises aluminum oxide or silicon carbide.
- 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal comprises tungsten.
Government Interests
This invention was made with government support. The U.S. Government has certain rights in this invention.
US Referenced Citations (32)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0304167 |
Feb 1989 |
EPX |
6029433 |
Jul 1983 |
JPX |