Advanced polymer impregnation and pyrolysis of ceramic matrix composites

A method of manufacturing a ceramic composite, the method comprising:

• prepregging a plurality of porous fiber cloths, a powder compact, a combination of porous fiber cloths and powder compact, or an additively-manufactured matrix and fibers, with a preceramic polymer composition to form a composite body;
• curing the composite body followed by pyrolyzing the cured composite body to obtain a ceramic composite body;
• densifying the ceramic composite body by sequentially performing a plurality of densification cycles to obtain a densified ceramic composite body, wherein each densification cycle includes in the following order:
• submerging the ceramic composite body in the preceramic polymer composition to impregnate the ceramic composite body;
• subjecting the impregnated ceramic composite body to a vacuum;
• curing the impregnated composite body at a curing temperature;
• and
• pyrolyzing the impregnated composite body at a pyrolyzing temperature;
• crystallizing the densified ceramic composite body at a crystallization temperature to obtain a ceramic matrix composite product;
• wherein the preceramic polymer composition comprises a preceramic polymer component, a crosslinker, and a catalyst.