Ceramic matrix composite having improved interlaminar strength
AssigneeSiemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
InventorsJay A. Morrison, Gary Brian Merrill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ceramic matrix composite material (10) having a plurality of interlaminar stitches (16) as shown in FIG. 1. The stitches are formed by directing laser energy into the material to melt and recast zones of the material in a direction transverse to the layers of reinforcing fibers(12). The stitches not only improve the interlaminar strength of the material, but they also increase the through-thickness thermal conductivity of the material, thereby reducing thermal-induced stresses. The zones of recast material (18) may define holes (20) extending at least partially through the thickness of the material. The holes may be filled with a filler material (24), thereby mitigating any adverse loss-of-area effect created by the holes.
Claims19
A material comprising:
- a composite material including a plurality of layers of fibers disposed within a matrix material;
- and
- a plurality of interlaminar stitches of recast composite material disposed through a thickness of the composite material transverse to the layers of fibers, the stitches disposed in a pattern selected to increase the interlaminar strength of the material.
The material of claim 14, wherein the fibers comprise one of the group of Al2O3, Al2O3—SiO2, mullite, YAG, and Al2O3—YAG eutectics.
A ceramic matrix composite material comprising:
- a layer of ceramic fibers disposed within a ceramic matrix material forming a composite material cured to at least a green body phase;
- a stitch disposed transverse to the layer of fibers, the stitch comprising a zone of composite material that has been melted and recast.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.