Rapid Fabrication of SiCf/SiC composite via Field Assisted Sintering Technique for Turbine Applications

State-of-the-art manufacturing cost for SiC matrix composites CMC components is still very high due to long lead times despite of many research efforts. ScienceTomorrow, in collaboration with Applied Research Lab of Penn State University and its OEM partners, will investigate ceramic fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite fabrication via a novel field assisted sintering technique. Under the concurrent application of high pulsed current density, pressure and temperature the green structure will be consolidated. Processing-microstructure-properties relationships will be established first empirically during the Base Period and numerically in the option period to allow complete exploitation of the benefits of the novel processing approaches. The research will utilize multi-scale material characterization and integrated multi-scale multi-physics computational modeling for developing processing-properties-structure correlation. The success criteria are set in comparison to current fabrication methods: (a) Chemical Vapor Infiltration, (b) Melt Infiltration, and (c) Polymer Impregnation Pyrolysis. ScienceTomorrow will collaborate with an OEM for process optimization and commercialization that will allow the OEM to exploit the benefits of the FAST processing method for SiCf/SiC turbine components. Ultimately, the FAST process will enable the production of more affordable 2700°F capable CMCs.