Room Temperature Post-Fracture Tensile (PFT) Study of Two Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites with a “Strong” Fiber/Matrix Interface

Abstract

Elevated temperature applications require materials that can maintain good mechanical properties such as strength and hardness. Ceramics have good mechanical properties at high temperature and, thus, appear to be good candidates for elevated temperature applications. However, due to their brittle nature, monolithic ceramics are unsuitable for many applications where reliability is a critical issue. In the last few years, a new class of ceramic materials can show non-brittle behavior if they are properly mixed. Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) exhibit pseudo-plastic behavior at room temperature, as well as in an elevated temperature environment. Since the fiber and the matrix are made of ceramic material, creep behavior and hazardous emissions are reduced considerably.