Method for making ceramic matrix composite articles with progressive melt infiltration
AssigneeRolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
InventorStephen Isaiah Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of melt infiltrating a green ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article, wherein the green CMC article includes a ceramic reinforcing structure. The method includes heating a localized region of the green CMC article; melting a metal alloy infiltrant to form a molten metal alloy; and introducing the molten metal alloy into the localized region to infiltrate the reinforcing structure of the green CMC article with the metal alloy infiltrant and form the CMC article.
Claims10
A method of repairing a defect in a localized region of a green ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article, the localized region comprising a portion of the CMC article, and wherein the green CMC article comprises a woven, fabric ceramic reinforcing structure, the method comprising:
- moving a heat source above a surface of the localized region of the green CMC article to heat only the localized region of the green CMC article to a temperature to 1400° C. to 1600° C., wherein the localized region of the green CMC article is heated by the heat source for 2 seconds to 30 seconds;
- melting a metal alloy infiltrant to form a molten metal alloy;
- and
- introducing the molten metal alloy into the localized region to infiltrate the woven, fabric ceramic reinforcing structure of the green CMC article with the metal alloy infiltrant and densify the localized region of the green CMC article and repair the defect.
A method of repairing a first defect in a first localized region of green ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article, and a second defect in a second localized region of the green CMC article, wherein the first localized region is different from the second localized region, and the first defect is different from the second defect, and wherein the first and the second localized regions comprise respective first and second portions of the CMC article wherein the green CMC article comprises a ceramic reinforcing structure, the method comprising:
- moving a heat source above a surface of the first localized region of the green CMC article to heat only the first localized region of the green CMC article to a temperature to 1400° C. to 1600° C., wherein the first localized region of the green CMC article is heated for 2 seconds to 5 minutes;
- melting a first metal alloy infiltrant to form a first molten metal alloy;
- introducing the first molten metal alloy into the first localized region to infiltrate the ceramic reinforcing structure therein and repair the first defect;
- moving a heat source above a surface of the second localized region of the green CMC article to heat only the second localized region of the green CMC article, wherein the second localized region of the green CMC article is heated for 2 seconds to 5 minutes;
- melting a second metal alloy infiltrant to form a second molten metal alloy, wherein the second metal alloy is different from the first metal alloy;
- and
- introducing the second molten metal alloy into the second localized region to infiltrate the ceramic reinforcing structure therein and repair the second defect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.