Rapid Fabrication of Carbide Matrix/Carbon Fiber Composites

Composites of zirconium carbide matrix material reinforced with carbon fibers can be fabricated relatively rapidly in a process that includes a melt infiltration step. Heretofore, these and other ceramic matrix composites have been made in a chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process that takes months. The finished products of the CVI process are highly porous and cannot withstand temperatures above 3,000 °F (≈1,600 °C). In contrast, the melt-infiltration-based process takes only a few days, and the composite products are more nearly fully dense and have withstood temperatures as high as 4,350 °F (≈2,400 °C) in a highly oxidizing thrust chamber environment. Moreover, because the meltinfiltration- based process takes much less time, the finished products are expected to cost much less.