Ceramic Matrix Composites - From Space to Earth: The move from prototype to serial production

Abstract

Ceramic matrix composite materials (CMC) were originally developed for high temperature applications such as heat shields or thermal protection for spacecraft. Different processing techniques are currently in use for the manufacture of continuous fibre reinforced ceramic matrix composites, which result in low weight materials (~ 2 g/cm³) with outstanding properties. A novel technology to produce CMC structures with lower costs and shorter manufacturing times has been developed at DLR. The Liquid Silicon Infiltration (LSI) process is based on the infiltration of economically manufactured carbon / carbon with molten silicon and leads to so-called C/C-SiC materials. These represent a new class of high performance ceramic materials, not only suitable for space applications, but also as braking materials for new generations of high speed cars, trains and emergency brakes in the fields of mechanical engineering and conveying. Due to their multiphase matrix composition and the internal SiC layers, C/C-SiC brakes offer advantages to state-of-the-art carbon/carbon brakes with respect to wear and friction coefficient. In general, the coefficient of friction for C/C-SiC is higher, wear rates are lower and ambient conditions such as humidity have practically no deleterious effect on material characteristics.