Patent Application
20220380264
The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-090193 filed in Japan on May 28, 2021.
The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a ceramic matrix composite and a ceramic matrix composite.
Conventionally, a method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite using the melt-infiltrated (MI) method is known as a method of forming a ceramic matrix composite (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). In this manufacturing method, a fiber reinforcement material is impregnated with a matrix slurry containing a resin binder and a pore-forming agent, whereby a preform is obtained. The preform is then heated for carbonization of the resin binder while pore formation is promoted by the action of the pore-forming agent. A porous preform is thus formed. In this manufacturing method, the pores of the porous preform are then filled with molten silicon, whereby silicon carbide is formed.
A matrix slurry, which is base resin, may contain a large amount of filler containing carbon, silicon carbide, or the like. In this case, when a porous preform is formed using a pore-forming agent as described in Patent Literature 1, an impregnation path to be impregnated with the molten silicon is fragmented by the filler, and it may be therefore difficult to form an appropriate impregnation path. Without an appropriate impregnation path formed, impregnation with molten silicon may stop halfway, and some areas may be left not impregnated. As a result, defects such as voids or cracks are likely to occur. When pores formed by the pore-forming agent are large, unreacted silicon that has not reacted with carbon may be left even after impregnation with molten silicon. This may reduce the strength of the formed ceramic matrix composite.
Given these inconveniences, the subject of the present disclosure is to provide a method of forming a ceramic matrix composite and a ceramic matrix composite that enable suitable formation of a ceramic matrix composite while defects in formation are prevented from occurring.
A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite with being impregnated with molten metal or alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: stacking a plurality of fiber layers that are layers of reinforced fibers impregnated with base resin to form a laminate in which a matrix layer containing fibers extending in a direction of impregnation with the molten metal or alloy is disposed between the fiber layers; forming an impregnation path in the matrix layer entirely in an in-plane direction perpendicular to a direction of the stacking in the laminate by carbonizing the formed laminate; and impregnating, with the molten metal or alloy, the laminate in which the impregnation path has been formed.
A ceramic matrix composite according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of fiber layers that are layers containing ceramic-matrix reinforced fibers; and a matrix layer provided in the fiber layers stacked in a stacking direction, the matrix layer having been formed in a manner that an impregnation path formed entirely in an in-plane direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the fiber layers is impregnated with molten metal or alloy to react.
According to the present disclosure, a ceramic matrix composite can be suitably formed while defects in formation are prevented from occurring.
The following describes an embodiment according to the present disclosure in detail based on the drawings. This invention is not limited by this embodiment. The components in the following embodiments include those that are substitutable and easy for those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate, and, when there are a plurality of embodiments, any two or more of the embodiments can be combined.
The method of forming a ceramic matrix composite according to the present embodiment is a forming method using the melt impregnation process (MI process). The ceramic matrix composite is, for example, a silicon carbide (SiC) composite, specifically, a SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composite (SiC/SiC composite). With reference to
Ceramic Matrix Composite
As illustrated in
The fiber layers 5 are layers mainly made of fibers, for which SiC fibers are used as the ceramic-matrix reinforced fibers. The fiber layer 5 is formed in a manner that a green body is obtained by laminating and curing prepregs each obtained by impregnating base resin with carbon fibers; and the green body is carbonized and is impregnated with and caused to react with molten silicon, which is provided as molten metal or alloy. The prepregs are each formed using, for example, a unidirectional material in which the SiC fibers extend in one direction, and are stacked so that directions in which the SiC fibers in the different prepregs can be different. The base resin is, for example, thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin. The base resin contains filler, and at least one of powdered carbon and powdered silicon carbide is used as the filler. Thus, the base resin is a thermosetting resin that contains filler.
The matrix layer 6 is a layer containing silicon carbide. The matrix layer 6 is formed in such a manner that: an impregnation path 8 is formed in a manner that fibers 11 (see
Method of Forming Ceramic Matrix Composite
Next, the method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1 is described with reference to
When the matrix layers 6 are carbonized, the impregnation paths 8 are formed in directions (in-plane directions) in which the fibers 11 extend, through carbonization of the binder resin in a case using carbon fibers or SiC fibers as the fibers 11 or through carbonization of the fibers themselves in a case using organic fibers as the fibers 11. In this stage, the binder resin and the organic fibers are resins having lower decomposition temperatures than that of the base resin of the fiber layers 5. For example, when epoxy resin is used as the base resin, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA, which is also referred to as acrylic), or the like is used as the binder resin and the organic fibers.
The fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 have a fiber diameter of 0.5 to 20 μm, more preferably 1 to 7 μm, and still more preferably 1 to 5 μm. The fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 have a weight per unit area of 20 g/m2 or less and preferably 8 g/m2 or less.
In the method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1, the formed laminate is carbonized, whereby the impregnation paths 8 are formed in the matrix layers 6 entirely in in-plane directions of the laminate (step S2). At step S2, the laminate is carbonized, whereby the laminate in which the impregnation paths 8 have been formed is formed as a precursor of the ceramic matrix composite 1. At step S2, in a case using carbon fibers or SiC fibers as the fibers 11 in the matrix layers 6, the binder resin attached to the fibers 11 are carbonized. As a result, the impregnation paths 8 to be impregnated with molten silicon are formed, and carbon is formed inside the impregnation paths 8. At step S2, in a case using organic fibers as the fibers 11 in the matrix layers 6, the fibers 11 themselves are carbonized. As a result, the impregnation paths 8 to be impregnated with molten silicon are formed, and carbon is formed inside the impregnation paths 8. The impregnation paths 8 formed at step S2 also function as degassing paths for decomposition gas generated through carbonization of the base resin, thus allowing the laminate to be prevented from cracking.
Thereafter, in the method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1, the laminate in which the impregnation paths 8 have been formed that serves as a precursor is impregnated with molten silicon (step S3). At step S3, the laminate is impregnated with molten silicon along the impregnation paths 8 formed at step S2. Molten silicon with which the laminate is impregnated becomes silicon carbide by reacting with carbon in the impregnation paths 8, carbon in the carbonized base resin, and carbon in the filler contained in the base resin. When the fibers 11 in the matrix layers 6 are carbon fibers, molten silicon reacts with the carbon fibers and produces SiC fibers. The method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1 ends by executing step S3.
For example, it has been confirmed that the impregnation paths 8 are impregnated with molten silicon in a case where: a filler-containing base resin, which is difficult to impregnate, is applied as the base resin of the fiber layers 5; a non-woven carbon fiber cloth having a fiber diameter of 7 μm and a weight per unit area of 8 g/m2 is applied as the fibers 11; and PVA binder resin that accounts for 16% by weight of this non-woven cloth is attached to this non-woven cloth.
Next, with reference to
At step S2, the formed laminate is immersed in a liquid bath 15 filled with a solvent, whereby the fibers 11 or the binder resin in the matrix layer 6 in the laminate is dissolved (step S2a). For example, acid is used as the solvent. At step S2a, the fibers 11 or the binder resin in the matrix layer 6 is dissolved, whereby the impregnation path 8 is formed in the matrix layer 6 entirely in an in-plane direction of the laminate. At step S2a, after the fibers 11 are dissolved, the laminate is pulled out of the liquid bath 15 and the laminate is washed as appropriate. Subsequently, at step S2, the laminate from which the fibers 11 or the binder resin has been removed is carbonized, whereby the base resin remaining in the matrix layer 6 is carbonized (step S2b). At step S2b, carbonizing the base resin and the remaining fibers 11 results in formation of carbon in the impregnation path 8. This is possible because the impregnation paths 8 has already been formed at step S2a.
Thus, also in the molding method of
As described above, the method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1 and the ceramic matrix composite 1 according to the embodiment are understood, for example, as follows.
The method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1 according to a first aspect is a method for forming the ceramic matrix composite 1 through impregnation with molten metal or alloy (for example, molten silicon). This method of forming the ceramic matrix composite 1 executes: step S1 of stacking a plurality of the fiber layers 5, which are layers of reinforced fibers impregnated with base resin, and forming a laminate by disposing, in the fiber layers 5, the matrix layers 6 containing the fibers 11 extending in a direction of impregnation with the molten metal or alloy; step S2 of forming the impregnation path 8 entirely in the matrix layer 6 in an in-plane direction perpendicular to a direction of the stacking in the laminate by carbonizing the formed laminate; and step S3 of impregnating, with the molten metal or alloy, the laminate in which the impregnation paths 8 has been formed.
According to this configuration, the fibers 11 extending in the direction of impregnation with the molten metal or alloy are contained in the matrix layer 6. Thus, the impregnation path 8 can be formed entirely in the in-plane direction of the matrix layer 6 in the laminate. As a result, the appropriate impregnation path 8 can be formed without having the impregnation path 8 fragmented. Therefore, the laminate can be appropriately impregnated with molten silicon along the impregnation path 8, and a ceramic matrix composite can be suitably formed while defects in formation, such as voids, cracks, and unreacted Si formation, are prevented from occurring.
In a second aspect, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 take the form of non-woven cloth, woven cloth, or a unidirectional material.
According to this configuration, the impregnation path 8 can be appropriately formed entirely in an in-plane direction in the matrix layers 6.
In a third aspect, the fibers 11 in the matrix layers 6 have a fiber diameter of 0.5 to 20 μm.
According to this configuration, the impregnation path 8 that is easily impregnated with the molten metal or alloy can be formed, allowing carbon and the molten metal or alloy to efficiently react with each other.
In a fourth aspect, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 have a fiber diameter of 1 to 7 μm.
In a fifth aspect, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 have a fiber diameter of 1 to 5 μm.
According to each of these configurations, the impregnation paths 8 that is more easily impregnated with the molten metal or alloy can be formed, allowing carbon and the molten metal or alloy to more efficiently react with each other.
In a sixth aspect, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 have a weight per unit area is 20 g/m2 or less.
According to this configuration, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 can have a weight per unit area that allows the fibers 11 to be uniformly disposed in the matrix layer 6. The impregnation path 8 can be thus formed uniformly in the matrix layer 6.
In a seventh aspect, the fibers in the matrix layers have a weight per unit area of 8 g/m2 or less.
According to this configuration, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 can have a weight per unit area that allows the fibers 11 to be more uniformly disposed in the matrix layer 6. The impregnation path 8 can be thus formed more uniformly in the matrix layer 6.
In an eighth aspect, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 are carbon fibers to which binder resin has been attached, inorganic fibers to which binder resin has been attached, or organic fibers.
According to this configuration, the number of options for the fibers 11 is increased, and carbon can be appropriately formed inside the impregnation path 8.
In a ninth aspect, the binder resin and the organic fibers are resins having lower decomposition temperatures than that of the base resin.
According to this configuration, during the carbonization of the laminate, any volatile components in the binder resin and the organic fibers can be volatilized before the base resin is. As a result, the impregnation path 8 can be used as a flow path for volatilization of any volatile component in the base resin, whereby cracks can be prevented from occurring.
In a tenth aspect, at the step of forming the impregnation path 8 in the matrix layer 6, the fibers 11 in the matrix layer 6 in the laminate are dissolved before the laminate is carbonized.
According to this configuration, the impregnation path 8 can be formed by having the fibers 11 dissolved.
The ceramic matrix composite 1 according to an eleventh aspect includes: the fiber layers 5 that are layers containing ceramic-matrix reinforced fibers; and the matrix layer 6 provided in the fiber layers 5 stacked in a stacking direction. The matrix layer 6 is formed in a manner that the impregnation path 8 formed entirely in an in-plane direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the fiber layers 5 is impregnated with molten metal or alloy to react.
According to this configuration, silicon carbide can be formed along the impregnation path 8, allowing for high strength.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-090193 | May 2021 | JP | national |
