DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND INTERFACE CHARACTERIZATION OF CERAMIC FIBER-CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES

CERAMIC-MATRIX COMPOSITES WITH OPTIMUM FIBER-MATRIX INTERFACIAL BONDING EXHIBIT HIGH STRENGTHS, FRACTURE TOUGHNESS, AND A DAMAGE-INSENSITIVE FAILURE MODE, AND THEY ARE VASTLY SUPERIOR IN RELIABILITY TO MONOLITHIC CERAMICS. THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF THESE COMPOSITES REQUIRE INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES TO CONTROL, MODIFY, AND CHARACTERIZE THE FIBER-MATRIX BONDING. TWO NOVEL TECHNIQUES FOR MEASURING THE INTERFACIAL SHEAR DEBOND STRENGTH ( D), COEFFICIENT OF SLIDING FRICTION AT THE INTERFACE ( ), AND THE RESIDUAL INTERFACE PRESSURE ( ) ARE PROPOSED FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY IN THIS PHASE I OF A THREE-PHASE RESEARCH PROGRAM. THE TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED IN PHASE I WILL BE EMPLOYED TO DESIGN AND TAILOR INTERFACES IN CERAMIC COMPOSITES THAT WILL EXHIBIT HIGH STRENGTHS, FRACTURE TOUGHNESS, AND THE DAMAGE-INSENSITIVE MODE OF FAILURE. PRODUCTION OF SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF THE COMPOSITES FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN PHASE III.