The objective of the planned effort is to develop anddemonstrate an innovative approach for fabricating largestructural components for fusion reactors. Silicon carbide fiberreinforced silicon carbide matrix composites will be produced byrepeated infiltration and pyrolysis of fiber lay-ups with a novelpreceramic polymer, CERASET_ SN. This polymer is considerablymore advantageous to use than other known commercial ordevelopmental preceramic polymers in that it is solvent free andthermosetting, and features low viscosity, high purity, andexcellent stability in ambient atmospheres. Further, the CERASET_SN preceramic polymer is inexpensive and available in largequantities. Innovative infiltration processes will be used tofabricate panels for test and evaluation. For each infiltrationprocess, the maximum achievable fiber volume loading and minimumnumber of required densification cycles will be determined. Theinfiltration processes will be compared in terms of the physicaland mechanical properties of the fabricated panels, fabricationcost, and ability to form large structural parts with complexgeometries.Anticipated Results /Potential Commercial Applications asdescribed by the awarder: Numerous commercial industrialapplications for fiberreinforced carbide matrix composites exist:stationary high temperature gas turbine internal combustionengines (combustors, liners, turbochargers, glow plugs, valves,piston rings, heads, vanes, nozzles turbine rotors), heatrecovery systems (tubes, supports, internals for air preheatersand recuperators), burners and combustors (radiant tube burners,catathermal combustors), waste incineration systems (conveyors,compactors, shredders, refractor_es, burners, rotary drums,tubes, ash plows, filters, scrubbers, sensors), separation andfiltration systems (filters, membranes, catalyst substrates,cyclones, centrifuges), refractories (furnace linings, racks,supports, stirrers, ladles, crucibles, kiln furniture), andchemical process equipment (reformers, pumps, valves, piping,tanks, heat exchangers).
