Fiber Reinforced Ceramics Produced Without Pressing or Sintering Using a Slurry Comprising a Silicate and a Powdered Ceramic

This invention relates generally to ceramic materials and more particularly to composite ceramic materials.

Composite materials consisting of a matrix material with reinforcing fibers have been widely used for many purposes. Fiber reinforced plastics are used for panels and bulkheads in aircraft, but are less than ideal for that purpose because they are flamable and in some cases produce toxic gases when burned.

Fiber reinforced ceramics resist high temperatures and do not emit toxic fumes when exposed to such temperatures. Such ceramic composites therefore have desirable properties as substitutes for fiber reinforced plastics. Fabrication of composite ceramics has been rather complex involving such techniques as hot pressing and cold pressing followed by sintering. Some difficulties have been found when the thermal expansions of the two materials do not match.

A ceramic composite is prepared by applying a slurry of aqueous alkali silicate and a powdered ceramic to a reinforcing medium such as fibers or cloth. The composite is first air dried at room temperature and then heated while being compressed.

The brittle nature of ceramic materials can be overcome to some extent by the addition of a reinforcing material. I have found that the complex prior art processes need not be used to satisfactorily fabricate certain composite ceramics.

Initially a slurry is prepared by combining an aqueous silicate and a ceramic powder. Suitable aqueous silicates are Kasil #1, an aqueous potassium silicate, and N-Sodium silicate, an aqueous sodium silicate. Both are products of PQ Corporation (previously Philadelphia Quartz). A combination of these aqueous silicates may also be used. Suitable ceramics are Cab-o-sil, a very finely divided amorphous silica produced by the Cabot Corporation, fused silica powder and Pyrex glass powder.

Next the slurry is applied by dipping, brushing or spraying to graphite fibers (preferably continuous) or to fused silica cloth or Kevlar cloth. The thickness of the laminate is controlled by the number of fiber bundles or pieces of fabric placed together. It should be noted that some fibers are coated with a sizing which will prevent wetting of the fibers by the slurry. Any such sizing must be removed.

The composite should then be air dried at room temperature or slightly above for twenty four hours while being held between flat plates or in a press.

The air dried composite is then placed in a cold furnace which is heated slowly (.ltoreq.50.degree. C./hour) to 95.degree. C. It is held at this temperature until most of the water has evaporated. This time will vary depending upon the thickness of the laminate, the materials used and the composition. The temperature is next increased to 125.degree. C. at 10.degree. C. per hour and held for four hours. As is known in the art, resistance to moisture or rehydration depends on the maximum temperature of exposure. (Since carbon begins to oxidize at about 550.degree. C. this is the limit where graphite fibers are used.)

Because the viscosity of the slurry can be varied over a wide range it is possible to thoroughly impregnate both loose and tight fiber bundles or fabric weaves. In addition the high maturing temperatures normally associated with ceramic materials are not needed to cure these composites. Depending upon the application, room temperature cure may be sufficient, and at most temperatures approaching several hundred degrees Centigrade would be adequate.