Claims
- 1. A high temperature capability composite material consisting essentially of:a matrix formed from a powder material having a particle size in the range from about 1 to 100 nanometers; a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded within said matrix, said reinforcing fibers comprising from about 20% to about 40% volume of said composite material; and said composite material being characterized by the substantial absence of voids between adjacent ones of said fibers.
- 2. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said matrix is formed from a powdered ceramic material selected from the group consisting of refractory oxides with ionic bonds and nitrides and carbides with covalent bonds.
- 3. The composite material of claim 2 wherein said powdered ceramic material has a particle size in the range of from about 4 to about 5 nanometers.
- 4. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing fibers are single crystal fibers.
- 5. The composite material of claim 1 further comprising said fibers being oriented in an uniaxial direction.
- 6. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said fibers have a diameter less than or equal to about 10 microns.
- 7. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said fibers have a length equal to or greater than 5 microns.
- 8. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing fibers are polycrystalline single fibers.
- 9. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing fibers are multi-filament tows of Al2O3 fibers.
- 10. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing fibers are silicon carbide fibers.
- 11. The composite material of claim 1 wherein said reinforcing fibers are silicon nitride fibers.
- 12. A high temperature capability composite material for use in jet engine applications, said composite material consisting essentially of:a matrix formed from a powdered ceramic material having a particle size in the range of about 1 to 100 nanometers, said powdered ceramic material being selected from the group consisting of refractory oxides with ionic bonds and nitrides and carbides with covalent bonds; a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded within said matrix, said reinforcing fibers comprising from about 20% to about 40% volume of said composite material; said reinforcing fibers having a diameter less than of equal to about 10 microns and a length equal to or greater than 5 microns; and said reinforcing fibers being oriented in a uniaxial direction.
- 13. A high temperature capability composite material consisting of a matrix formed from a powered nano-sized ceramic material having particle sizes solely in the range of about 1 to 100 nanometers, and a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded within said matrix, said reinforcing fibers comprising from about 20% to about 40% volume of said composite material, and said nano-sized ceramic material penetrating into internal spaces between said reinforcing fibers.
Parent Case Info
This is a Division, of application Ser. No. 08/261,600, filed Jun. 17, 1994, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
249927 |
Dec 1987 |
EP |
225929 |
Mar 1993 |
GB |