Silicon carbide whisker reinforced ceramic composites and method for making same
USRE32843E · kind E · reissue
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 1986 |
| Grant date | Jan 24, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC —)General
Abstract
The present invention is directed to the fabrication of ceramic composites which possess improved mechanical properties especially increased fracture toughness. In the formation of these ceramic composites, the single crystal SiC whiskers are mixed with fine ceramic powders of a ceramic material such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, mullite, or B.sub.4 C. The mixtures which contain a homogeneous disperson of the SiC whiskers are hot pressed at pressures in a range of about 28 to 70 MPa and temperatures in the range of about 1600.degree. to 1950.degree. C. with pressing times varying from about 0.75 to 2.5 hours. The resulting ceramic composites show an increase in fracture toughness of up to about 9 MP.am.sup.1/2 which represents as much as a two-fold increase over that of the matrix material.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.