초록 ▼

Carbon--carbon composite parts are joined with minimum surface preparation. A reactive-bonding joint interlayer having thickness greater than 1 mil is formed of fine particles of carbide-forming metallic ingredients and carbon. The joint interlayer is sandwiched between the two carbon--carbon parts

Carbon--carbon composite parts are joined with minimum surface preparation. A reactive-bonding joint interlayer having thickness greater than 1 mil is formed of fine particles of carbide-forming metallic ingredients and carbon. The joint interlayer is sandwiched between the two carbon--carbon parts to be joined and the assembly is heated under a compressive pressure to a temperature sufficient to complete the bonding reaction. No special surface preparation is required for the carbon--carbon parts due to the nature of the reactive-bonding. The mechanical properties of the joint are assured by selecting the metal-carbon ingredients so that thermal expansion mismatch is minimized. Shear strength exhibited by the resulting joints is greater than the interlaminar shear strength of the carbon--carbon composite material.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A reactive-bonding method for joining two carbon--carbon composite parts, each carbon--carbon part having at least one faying area, comprising the steps of:a. preparing a reactive-bonding layer having a thickness ranging from about 25 to 2500 micrometers and a dimension m

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A reactive-bonding method for joining two carbon--carbon composite parts, each carbon--carbon part having at least one faying area, comprising the steps of:a. preparing a reactive-bonding layer having a thickness ranging from about 25 to 2500 micrometers and a dimension matching the faying area of the carbon--carbon parts to be joined, said reactive-bonding layer being comprised of a mixture of fine particle-sized, carbide forming metallic ingredients, and carbon, and having a composition that is metal rich;b. assembling said carbon--carbon parts and said reactive-bonding layer to form a setup in which the reactive-bonding layer forms a joint interlayer between the parts;c. heating said setup under a compressive pressure in either a vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere for a time and at a temperature sufficient to complete a bonding reaction to form a compound selected from the group consisting of borides, carbides, silicides and nitrides and which compound is produced within said joint interlayer and between said joint interlayer and said carbon--carbon composite parts, forming a bond between said joint interlayer and between said carbon--carbon composite parts that is non-porous, wherein said metallic ingredients of said reactive-bonding layer have melting points, and said temperature of said heating of said setup can be reduced to a temperature that is less than one-half the melting point of the metallic ingredients.