Ceramics and Glass Flashcards
When are ceramics used in aerospace?
When high temperature performance is critical
High mach nosecones, brakes, seals, rocket nozzles, turbine coatings
Describe the slip casting process
- Powdered ceramic is mixed with water and surfactant
- Slip is poured into a porous mould
- Water diffuses out though the mould, forming a solid part
- Part is then removed from the mould and sintered
Describe the dry pressing process
- Dry powder is pressed between dies
- Powder densifies until a self supporting structure forms and the part is then sintered
Describe the cold isostatic pressing process
- Dry powder placed between flexible bladders
- Bladders filled, pressing powder from all sides
- Powder densifies and is then sintered
Describe the injection moulding process for forming a green body
- Ceramic powder mixed with an organic (polymer) binder (binder allows powder to flow)
- Conventionally injection moulded
- Part is heated so that binder pyrolyzes
- Part is then sintered
Describe the gelcasting process
- Powder is mixed with a liquid monomer and cross-linker to form a gel
- Part is moulded and cross-linked
- Part can then be machined before sintering
- This is used to form carbon-carbon brake disks
Why is it important that a green body is net shape before sintering?
Ceramic are hard to machine, so the shape cannot be modified after sintering
What happens during the sintering process?
Powder grains fuse directly to form a densified part
Describe the hot isostatic pressing process
- Part is placed between fluid bladders
- Bladders are filled with hot fluid and temperature and pressure applied to part
- Part is densified and sintered in one step
What are Ceramic Matrix Composites
- A fibre reinforcement in a densified ceramic body
- Fibre pre-form is produced as for a composite, then infiltrated by ceramic and sintered
Describe the Gas Phase Deposition process for producing ceramic matrix composites
- Carbon source gas and argon are introduced to the fibres at high temperature and pressure
- Gas decomposes and carbon deposits build up on fibres
Describe the pyrolysis of polymer method for producing ceramic matrix composites
- Polymer containing carbon infiltrates the fibre pre-form
- Polymer is pyrolyzed to form the ceramic
Describe the Chemical Reaction method for producing ceramic matrix composites
- Porous carbon preform is produces
- Liquid Silicon infiltrates the preform and reacts to form silicon carbide
- This method has the lowest porosity of all CMC methods
How are cooling ducts in turbine blades produced?
- A ceramic core is produced in the shape of the cooling ducts
- This is surrounded in wax in the shape of the turbine blade
- The blade is then investment cast from superalloy
- Ceramic core is dissolved out leaving a cavity in the shape of the cooling ducts
How are ceramic and metal joined?
- Brazing process
- Metal coating applied to ceramic, then braze applied that reacts with the ceramic surface