FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE FOR PROTECTIVE ARMOR, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITION AND PROTECTIVE ARMOR

• US 20070116939A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SGL Carbon AG
• Original Assignee: SGL Carbon AG
• Inventors: Heine, Michael, Benitsch, Bodo, Zimmermann-Chopin, Rainer, Schweizer, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 7,238,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/292.100
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 18/00 Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2315/02 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/38 Non-oxide ceramic constituents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3821 Boron carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3826 Silicon carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3843 Titanium carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3847 Tungsten carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/386 Boron nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3873 Silicon nitrides, e.g. silicon carbonitride, silicon oxynitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/48 Organic compounds becoming part of a ceramic after heat treatment, e.g. carbonising phenol resins
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5248 Carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/526 characterised by the length of the fibers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5264 characterised by the diameter of the fibers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5272 Fibers of the same material with different length or diameter
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/365 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/38 Fiber or whisker reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/385 Carbon or carbon composite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/584 the different additives being fibers or whiskers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/61 Joining two substrates of which at least one is porous by infiltrating the porous substrate with a liquid, such as a molten metal, causing bonding of the two substrates, e.g. joining two porous carbon substrates by infiltrating with molten silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/522 Graphite C04B35/536 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/573 : obtained by reaction sintering or recrystallisation
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/83 : Carbon fibres in a carbon matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/0428 : Ceramic layers in combination with additional layers made of fibres, fabrics or plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/166 : Glass, ceramic, or metal sections [e.g., floor or wall tile, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249924 : Noninterengaged fiber-containing paper-free web or sheet which is not of specified porosity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249928 : Fiber embedded in a ceramic, glass, or carbon matrix

Abstract

A fiber-reinforced composite body containing a first zone made of a ceramic matrix, which predominantly contains silicon carbide and, optionally, silicon and/or carbon and/or compounds thereof, and containing a second zone, which is located on a surface of the ceramic matrix zone and formed form a fiber-reinforced C/SiC ceramic. The fiber length decreases from the exterior of the fiber-reinforced ceramic zone up to the first zone and, optionally, up to one or more other zones that are arranged on the second zone. A method for producing the composite body is characterized by involving a joint infiltration at least of the first zone and of the second zone with liquid silicon and by the carrying out of a siliconization. A composite body of this type can be used, in particular, as armoring in the civil or military sectors.

Claims

1. An at least partly fiber-reinforced composite having a matrix made predominantly from silicon carbide, silicon and carbon, and formed by silicization of a carbon-containing material, the composite comprising:

a first monolithic ceramic zone formed predominantly from silicon carbide, silicon and carbon, said first monolithic ceramic zone having sides; and

a second zone containing a composite ceramic reinforced with fibers and disposed on one of said sides of said first monolithic ceramic zone, said fibers having a fiber length and a fiber bundle thickness, the fiber length or the fiber length together with a in conjunction with the fiber bundle thickness of said fibers increasing gradually in said second zone from a side facing said first monolithic ceramic zone to a side facing away from said first monolithic ceramic zone.

2. The composite according to claim 1, further Comprising a third zone formed of a composite ceramic reinforced with further fibers and having a matrix containing predominantly silicon carbide, silicon and carbon and/or compounds thereof, said third zone is disposed on an exposed surface of said second zone.

3. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said fiber length of said fibers of said second zone is in a range from 0.01 to 50 mm.

4. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said fiber length of said fibers of said second zone is in a range from 0.01 to 20 mm.

5. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said second zone has a fiber length gradient, expressed as a ratio of longest fiber length to shortest fiber length, that is above 20.

6. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said fiber bundle thickness of said second zone is in a range from 8 μ

m to 3000 μ

m.

7. The composite according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said fibers of said second zone and said further fibers of said third zone are high-temperature-resistant fibers based on a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, boron, nitrogen, tungsten, aluminum and compounds thereof.

8. The composite according to claim 7, wherein said fibers and said further fibers have a coating selected from the group consisting of carbon coatings, graphite coatings and carbide coatings.

9. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said second zone further contains fillers formed of at least one component selected from the group consisting of silicides, carbides, borides, nitrides, metals and mixtures thereof.

10. The composite according to claim 9, wherein a mass fraction of said fillers in said second zone is up to about 50%, based on a mass of a starting mixture for said second zone.

11. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said first monolithic ceramic zone is made up of a composite ceramic having an SiC content of more than 50% by weight and is formed by liquid infiltration of silicon into a carbon-containing intermediate body.

12. The composite according to claim 11, wherein said carbon-containing intermediate body is formed predominantly from at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbon felt, graphite, graphite material and carbon.

13. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said first monolithic ceramic zone further contains fillers selected from the group consisting of N, B, Al, C, Si, Ti, Zr, W, and compounds thereof, in proportions by mass of from 20 to 50%.

14. The composite according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a thickness of said first monolithic ceramic zone to said second zone is in a range from 1:

2 to 2;

1.

15. The composite according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of said first monolithic ceramic zone and also a thickness of said second zone is in a range from 1 to 100 mm.

16. The composite according to claim 11, wherein said carbon-containing intermediate body is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of coated fibers, woven fabrics, lay-ups and knitted fabrics having fibers aligned predominantly within a plane perpendicular to a buildup of layers.

17. The composite according to claim 2, wherein a mean fiber length of said further fibers of said third zone is greater than 50 mm.

18. The composite according to claim 1, wherein said first monolithic ceramic zone has stress relief grooves formed therein.

19. The composite according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of thicknesses of said first, second and third zones is in a range from 1:

2;

2 to 2;

1;

1, respectively.

20. The composite according to claim 13, wherein said fillers are selected from the group consisting of TiC, TiSi_x, TiB_x, TiC, WC, B₄C, SiC, BN, Si₃N₄ and SiCBN ceramics.

21. A process for producing a fiber-reinforced composite, which comprises the steps of:

preparing porous, carbon-containing intermediate bodies for a first zone and a second zone;

superpositing of the carbon-containing intermediate bodies of the first and second zones;

mechanically fixing the first and second zones to each other resulting in an assembly;

subsequently joint infiltrating the first and second zones with liquid silicon to form a permanent bond between the first and second zones for forming a common matrix phase; and

performing a silicization in a conventional manner on the assembly.

22. The process according to claim 21, which further comprises:

applying a third zone formed of a porous carbon-containing intermediate body to the assembly prior to performing the joint infiltrating step;

mechanically fixing the third zone to the assembly; and

carrying out the joint infiltrating step on all of the zones with the liquid silicon and the subsequent silicization step.

23. The process according to claim 22, which further comprises:

infiltrating the assembly with the liquid silicon and then performing the silicization step; and

forming the third zone and adhesively bonding the third zone to the assembly.

24. The process according to claim 21, which further comprises performing the mechanical fixing using a pyrolyzable adhesive.

25. The process according to claim 21, which further comprises carrying out the infiltration and silicization by applying silicon in a form of powder to at least one exterior surface of the assembly and heating the assembly to a temperature above a melting point of silicon.

26. The process according to claim 22, which further comprises applying at least one fourth zone having a porous carbon-containing intermediate body to the assembly.

27. Armor, comprising:

a fiber-reinforced composite, containing;

a first monolithic ceramic zone formed predominantly from silicon carbide, silicon and carbon, said first monolithic ceramic zone having sides; and

a second zone containing a composite ceramic reinforced with fibers and disposed on one of said sides of said first monolithic ceramic zone, said fibers having a fiber length or the fiber length together with a fiber bundle thickness increasing gradually in said second zone from a side facing said first monolithic ceramic zone to a side facing away from said first monolithic ceramic zone.

28. A structural component, comprising:

a fiber-reinforced composite, containing;

a first monolithic ceramic zone formed predominantly from silicon carbide, silicon and carbon, said first monolithic ceramic zone having sides; and

a second zone containing a composite ceramic reinforced with fibers and disposed on one of said sides of said first monolithic ceramic zone, said fibers having a fiber length and a fiber bundle thickness, the fiber length or the fiber length in conjunction with the fiber bundle thickness of said fibers increasing gradually in said second zone from a side facing said first monolithic ceramic zone to a side facing away from said first monolithic ceramic zone.

29. Armor for use in vehicle and aircraft construction, the armor comprising:

a fiber-reinforced composite, containing;

a first monolithic ceramic zone formed predominantly from silicon carbide, silicon and carbon, said first monolithic ceramic zone having sides; and

a second zone containing a composite ceramic reinforced with fibers and disposed on one of said sides of said first monolithic ceramic zone, said fibers having a fiber length or the fiber length together with a fiber bundle thickness increasing gradually in said second zone from a side facing said first monolithic ceramic zone to a side facing away from said first monolithic ceramic zone.

30. A method for producing an armored object, which comprises the steps of:

producing a fiber-reinforced composite, by the steps of;

preparing porous, carbon-containing intermediate bodies for a first zone and a second zone;

superpositing of the carbon-containing intermediate bodies of the first and second zones;

mechanically fixing the first and second zones to each other resulting in an assembly;

subsequently joint infiltrating the first and second zones with liquid silicon to form a permanent bond

between the first and second zones by formation of a common matrix phase; and

performing a silicization in a conventional manner on the assembly; and

applying the fiber-reinforced composite to an object selected from the group consisting of battle tanks, aircraft, helicopters, ships, rail vehicles, buildings and safes.

31. A method for forming a protective vest, which comprises the steps of:

producing a fiber-reinforced composite, by the steps of;

preparing porous, carbon-containing intermediate bodies for a first zone and a second zone;

superpositing of the carbon-containing intermediate bodies of the first and second zones;

mechanically fixing the first and second zones to each other resulting in an assembly;

subsequently joint infiltrating the first and second zones with liquid silicon to form a permanent bond between the first and second zones by formation of a common matrix phase; and

performing a silicization in a conventional manner on the assembly after the joint infiltrating step; and

producing the protective vest with the fiber-reinforced composite.