Michiyuki Suzuki

Tensile creep behavior of 3-D woven Si-Ti-C-O fiber/SiC-based matrix composite with glass sealant

The present work investigates the tensile creep behavior (deformation and rupture) at 1100–1300°C in air of a 3-D woven Si-Ti-C-O (Tyranno™) fiber/SiC-based matrix composite with and without glass sealant. The composite contained Si-Ti-C-O fibers with an additional surface modification in order to improve interface properties. Although a significant decrease in tensile strength was observed in the unsealed composite beyond 1000°C in air (and attributed to oxidation of the fiber/matrix interface), the composite with glass sealant possessed excellent mechanical properties for short-term (<1 hr.) exposure in air. In this study, tensile creep testing was conducted at 1100–1300°C in air and the effect of glass sealant on medium- and long-term strength was investigated. In addition, chemical stability of the glass sealant was evaluated by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The creep rupture behavior of the composite with glass sealant under long-term exposure is suggested to depend on several factors including decomposition, evaporation, and crystallization of the glass sealant material, in addition to the applied stress.

Improving the fracture toughness of MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 glass/molybdenum composites by the microdispersion of flaky molybdenum particles

The flake-forming behaviour of powders of molybdenum, niobium, nickel, BS 316 S 12, Ni–17Cr–6Al–0.6Y, iron, titanium and Ti–6Al–4V, using a wet ball mill, was investigated. MgO–Al2O3–SiO2 (MAS) glass composites reinforced with these flaked particles were fabricated, and improvements in flexural strength evaluated. The MAS glass composites reinforced with flaky metallic particles such as molybdenum, niobium, iron, nickel and Ni–17Cr–6Al–0.6Y, showed an improvement. The effect of molybdenum particle size on the flake-forming behaviour of molybdenum, flexural strength and fracture toughness of MAS glass/molybdenum composites, were investigated. The flake-forming behaviour shows a high degree of dependence on molybdenum particle size and, upto a size of 32 μm, becomes conspicuous with increasing particle size. At 32 μm, the aspect ratio reaches a value of 17 and, above 32 μm, flake forming saturates. Fracture toughness is closely related to flake-forming behaviour and the more marked the flake forming, the greater is the increase in fracture toughness. A composite of MAS glass with flaky molybdenum particles has a greater improvement effect on fracture toughness than composites with SiC whiskers, SiC platelets or ZrO2 particles. This is closely linked to plastic deformation of the flaky metallic particles at the crack tip at the time of fracture.

Simultaneous improvement of the strength and fracture toughness of MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass/Mo composites by the microdispersion of flaky Mo particles

The effect of shape and volume percent of Mo particles on theflexural strength and fracture toughness of MgO-Al2O3-SiO2(MAS) glass/Mo composites was investigated. The flexural strengthand fracture toughness of composites depends heavily on Mo particleshapes, and there is greater improvement in composites reinforcedwith flaky rather than massive Mo particles. In the compositesreinforced with flaky Mo particles, fracture toughness increases withvolume percent of Mo and, at 50 vol% Mo, is 11.6 MPa√m,which is approximately 6.7 times higher than that of the matrix. Increases in fracture toughness of composites reinforced with flakyMo particles is greater than with SiC whiskers, SiC platelets, SiC particles or ZrO2 particles. Fabricating composites reinforcedwith flaky Mo particles is an effective toughening technique capableof simultaneously improving the strength and toughness of brittlematerials, such as monolithic Al2O3 and MAS glass, by utilizing plastic deformation of ductile phase.

Influence of particle size and volume percent of flaky mo particles on the mechanical properties of AI2O3/Mo composites

The influence of particle size and volume percent of Mo particles on flake-forming behavior of Mo powders during a ball milling process and three-point flexural strength and fracture toughness of A12O3 composites reinforced with flaky Mo particles have been investigated. The flake-forming behavior of Mo powders mixed with A12O3 powders becomes prominent with increasing Mo particle size, while remaining almost independent of Mo volume percent. The microstructure of the composites reinforced with flaky Mo particles is anisotropic, depending on the arrangement of these Mo particles in the A12O3 matrix. The microdispersion of flaky Mo particles contributes remarkably to an increase in both flexural strength and fracture toughness. The flexural strength increases with decreasing Mo particle size, while the fracture toughness increases with increasing Mo particle size, which corresponds to an increase of the flake-forming tendency of these particles. Furthermore, the flexural strength and fracture toughness can be simultaneously improved by increasing the volume fraction of flaky Mo particles. The microstructural observations indicate that the improvement in strength may be attributed to a grain-refining effect due to inhibition of grain growth of the matrix by the presence of Mo particles. In addition, the improvement in fracture toughness may be due to plastic deformation of Mo particles at a crack tip, which is accelerated more by the flaky rather than the small spherical shape.

Microstructure and strength of Si-Ti-C-O, fibre-reinforced aluminium and aluminium alloys

Microstructures of Si-Ti-C-O fibre-reinforced aluminium and aluminium alloys were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and both conventional and analytical transmission electron microscopy. In the latter samples, some inclusions were observed between the matrix and the fibres. From the electron diffraction, high resolution microscopy and compositional analysis by energy-dispersive X-ray, the inclusions were identified as the α-Al-Si-Fe phase. Since the longitudinal three-point bending strength decreases with the increase of iron content, it was concluded that the α-phase inclusions on the surface of the fibre contribute to the lower strength of the composites based on this alloy.

Stress-Strain Response in SiC/SiC Composites under Cyclic Loading

The tension-tension fatigue tests for SiC/SiC composites were performed under the conditions that the maximum load Pmax was 80-90% to the fracture load of the tensile tests and the stress ratio was Rσ = 0.5. The composites exhibited a width in stress-strain hysteresis loop under one load cycling. In some cases the mean strain εmean gradually increase with increasing in number of cycles. These variations would reflect the developments of the fatigue damage at the fiber/matrix interface during the cyclic loading process. The pull-out lengths of the fibers for the fatigued- and not fatigued-specimens were measured through the SEM observations after the tensile test. In all materials, the average pull-out length of fibers in fatigued material was larger than in not fatigued material because the cyclic loading affected on the fiber/matrix interfacial strength.

The effect of the high temperature exposure on the strength of Si-Ti-C-O fibre-reinforced ceramics with glass-sealant

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are one of the candidates for hot components because of their excellent strength and toughness at high temperature. However, the strength and toughness of CMC degrade at high temperature air, because the degradation should be caused by the strong bond between fibre and matrix in an oxidizing atmosphere. A glass-sealing technique was developed in order to improve this anti-oxidation property of CMC. It was found in this paper that a glass-sealed CMC showed the excellent anti-oxidation property. In addition, some trial parts were successfully fabricated by glass-sealed CMC.