초록 ▼

The present invention is a composite material and process to produce same. That material comprises a fibrous structure which is initially predominantly coated with elemental carbon; that fibrous structure is then subsequently predominantly coated with at least one ceramic material, e.g., boron carbi

The present invention is a composite material and process to produce same. That material comprises a fibrous structure which is initially predominantly coated with elemental carbon; that fibrous structure is then subsequently predominantly coated with at least one ceramic material, e.g., boron carbide, which is non-reactive with silicon. The composite material also comprises a silicon matrix which is continuous and predominantly surrounds the fibrous structure, which has been initially predominantly coated with elemental carbon and subsequently predominantly coated with at least one ceramic material. The matrix which has a fine grain crystalline structure of predominantly 20 microns or less in size. The at least one ceramic material is discontinuous within that matrix. The fibrous material pulls out of the elemental carbon, which initially predominantly coats that fibrous structure, when the composite is subjected to fracture.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A composite material comprising:a.) a fibrous structure which is initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon, said fibrous structure which is then subsequently predominantly impregnated with at least one ceramic material which is non-reactive with silicon; and b.) a silicon matrix w

1. A composite material comprising:a.) a fibrous structure which is initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon, said fibrous structure which is then subsequently predominantly impregnated with at least one ceramic material which is non-reactive with silicon; and b.) a silicon matrix which is continuous and predominantly encompasses said fibrous structure which has been initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon and subsequently predominantly impregnated with at least one ceramic material; said at least one ceramic material of said matrix which has a fine grain crystalline structure of predominantly 20 microns or less in size, said at least one ceramic material which is discontinuous within said matrix, and said fibrous structure which pulls out of said elemental carbon, which initially predominantly impregnates said fibrous structure, when said composite is subjected to fracture.2. The composite of claim 1 wherein said fibrous structure comprises a plurality of elemental carbon fibers.3. The composite of claim 1 wherein said silicon matrix is formed from an alloy comprising silicon, boron and carbon.4. The composite of claim 1 wherein said at least one ceramic structure comprises boron carbide.5. The composite of claim 1 wherein said fibrous structure comprises a plurality of non-oxide ceramic fibers.6. The composite of claim 1 wherein said fibrous structure comprises a plurality of oxide ceramic fibers.7. The composite of claim 1 wherein said silicon matrix is formed from elemental silicon.8. The composite of claim 2 wherein said initial elemental carbon coating essentially encapsulates each of said plurality of said elemental carbon fibers of said fibrous structure.9. The composite of claim 1 wherein said silicon matrix is predominantly un-reacted with said fibrous structure.10. The composite of claim 1 formed into a disk brake heat sink.11. The composite of claim 10 wherein the wear rate of said disk brake heat sink is one-half or less of the wear rate of an equivalent conventional carbon-carbon disk brake heat sink.12. A composite material comprising:a.) a fibrous structure of elemental carbon, said fibrous structure which is initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon, said fibrous structure which is then subsequently predominantly impregnated with at least one ceramic material which is non-reactive with silicon; and b.) a silicon matrix which is continuous and predominantly encompasses said fibrous structure which has been initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon and subsequently predominantly impregnated with at least one ceramic material; said at least one ceramic material of said matrix which has a fine grain crystalline structure of predominantly 20 microns or less in size, said at least one ceramic material which is discontinuous within said matrix, and said fibrous structure which pulls out of said elemental carbon, which initially predominantly impregnates said fibrous structure, when said composite is subjected to fracture.13. The composite of claim 12 wherein said fibrous structure of elemental carbon comprises a plurality of elemental carbon fibers.14. The composite of claim 12 wherein said silicon matrix is formed from an alloy comprising silicon, boron and carbon.15. The composite of claim 12 wherein said at least one ceramic material comprises boron carbide.16. The composite of claim 12 wherein said silicon matrix is formed from elemental silicon.17. The composite of claim 13 wherein said initial elemental carbon coating essentially encapsulates each of said plurality of said elemental carbon fiber of said fibrous structure.18. The composite of claim 12 wherein said silicon matrix is predominantly un-reacted with said fibrous structure.19. The composite of claim 12 formed into a disk brake heat sink.20. The composite of claim 19 wherein the wear rate of said disk brake heat sink is one-half or less of the wear rate of an equivalent conventional carbon-carbon disk brake heat sink.21. A composite material comprising:a.) a fibrous structure of elemental carbon, said fibrous structure which is initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon, said fibrous structure which is then subsequently predominantly impregnated with boron carbide; and b.) a silicon alloy matrix which is continuous and predominantly encompasses said fibrous structure which has been initially predominantly impregnated with elemental carbon and subsequently predominantly impregnated with boron carbide. 22. The composite of claim 21 wherein said boron carbide has a fine grain crystalline structure of predominantly 20 microns or less in size.23. The composite of claim 21 wherein said boron carbide is discontinuous within said matrix.24. The composite of claim 21 wherein said fibrous structure of elemental carbon comprises a plurality of elemental carbon fibers.25. The composite of claim 24 wherein said elemental carbon fibers pull out of said elemental carbon, which initially predominantly impregnates said fibrous structure, when said composite is subjected to fracture.26. The composite of claim 21 formed into a disk brake heat sink.27. The composite of claim 26 wherein the wear rate of said disk brake heat sink is one-half or less of the wear rate of an equivalent conventional carbon-carbon disk brake heat sink.