A NOVEL PROCESS TO PRODUCE CONTINUOUS SINGLE CRYSTAL SIC FIBERS

CONTINUOUS CERAMIC FIBERS WHICH RETAIN SUBSTANTIAL STRENGTH AND POSSESS EXCEPTIONAL CREEP RESISTANCE AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE 1000 DEGREES CENTIGRADE ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED CERAMIC, INTERMETALLIC, AND METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN A VARIETY OF ENGINE, ENERGY CONVERSION, AND STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS. SINGLE CRYSTAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING SILICON CARBIDE EXHIBIT NEAR THEORETICAL MECHANICAL PROPERTIES INCLUDING VIRTUALLY NO CREEP AND STRENGTH RETENTION AT HIGH TERMPERATURES. SILICON CARBIDE WHISKERS, WHICH ARE SINGLE CRYSTAL SIC, EXHIBIT SUCH PROPERTIES. THE TECHNIQUES OF GROWING SINGLE CRYSTAL SIC WHISKERS CAN BE ADAPTED TO THE GROWTH OF CONTINUOUS SINGLE CRYSTAL SIC FIBERS. TECHNOLOGY WHICH HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO GROW SINGLE CRYSTAL SICW IS UNIQUELY ADAPTED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTINUOUS FILAMENT SIC CONSTITUTING A BREAKTHROUGH OF A CERAMIC FIBER THAT HAS EXCEPTIONAL STRENGTH AND CREEP REISTANCE TO VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES.