Hybrid monolithic ceramic and ceramic matrix composite airfoil and method for making the same

• US 6,451,416 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Sabnis, Jayant S., Holowczak, John E., Tredway, William K., Prewo, Karl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIXON, MERRICK L
• Application Number:
  US09/444,277
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 264/332, 264/125, 264/58, 264/57, 264/128, 428/293.4
• US Class Current: 428/293.4
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 18/00 Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6562 Heating rate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6587 Influencing the atmosphere by vaporising a solid material, e.g. by using a burying of sacrificial powder
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/341 Silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/348 Zirconia, hafnia, zirconates or hafnates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/365 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/368 Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/385 Carbon or carbon composite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/565 made of refractory metal oxides, e.g. zirconia
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/18 rich in aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/597 based on silicon oxynitride, e.g. SIALONS
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/80 Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/147 Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/282 Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/284 Selection of ceramic materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/288 Protective coatings for blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249928 Fiber embedded in a ceramic, glass, or carbon matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249932 Fiber embedded in a layer derived from a water-settable material [e.g., cement, gypsum, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249967 : Inorganic matrix in void-containing component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/252 : Glass or ceramic [i.e., fired or glazed clay, cement, etc.] [porcelain, quartz, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/259 : Silicic material

Abstract

The present invention is a low density hybrid airfoil comprising a temperature resistant exterior layer and a tough, high impact resistant interior layer. Specifically, the airfoil comprises a monolithic ceramic exterior layer and a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite interior layer. Both the monolithic ceramic and fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite are low density materials. Additionally, the monolithic ceramic is a high temperature resistant material, and the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite is a relatively high impact resistant structure. Encapsulating the airfoil with a temperature resistant exterior layer protects the airfoil in a high temperature environment, and supporting the airfoil with a high impact resistant, fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite improves the overall impact resistance of the airfoil thereby resulting in a tough, high temperature resistant, low density airfoil.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an airfoil, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a monolithic ceramic layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

(b) affixing a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite to the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of affixing a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite to the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer comprises laminating the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite to the monolithic ceramic layer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite is a glass ceramic matrix composite.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the glass ceramic matrix composite comprises a matrix selected from the group consisting essentially of magnesium alumino silicate, magnesium barium alumino silicate, lithium alumino silicate, barium strontium alumino silicate, barium alumino silicate and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the glass-ceramic matrix composite comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide (SiC), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), carbon (C) and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite is laminated to the monolithic ceramic layer by a method selected from the group consisting essentially of glass transfer molding, hot isostatic pressing and hot pressing.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of affixing a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite to the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer comprises forming the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite by a chemical vapor infiltration process which results in adherence of the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite to the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the chemical vapor infiltration process is a chemical vapor infiltration process selected from the group consisting essentially of forced flow chemical vapor infiltration, thermal gradient chemical vapor infiltration and isothermal chemical vapor infiltration.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite comprises a matrix selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon aluminum oxynitride (SiAlON), aluminum nitride (AlN), zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), zirconium nitride (ZrN), hafnium oxide (HfO₂), and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite comprises fibers selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon carbide (SiC), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) and carbon (C) and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the chemical vapor infiltration process comprises:

(a) lining the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer with a fibrous layer;

(b) heating the monolithic ceramic layer with an external heat source; and

(c) introducing reactant gases to the fibrous layer, thereby resulting in a chemical vapor infiltration reaction.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of compressing the fibrous layer against the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of compressing the fibrous layer against the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer comprises placing a mandrel against the fibrous layer such that the fibrous layer is between the mandrel and the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising cooling the mandrel.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the temperature of the reactant gases is less than the temperature of the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer, thereby forming a thermal gradient across the monolithic ceramic layer.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of affixing a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite to the interior surface of the monolithic ceramic layer comprises forming the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite by infiltrating a fiber array with a pre-ceramic polymer, followed by a pyrolysis process.

17. A method as in claim 16 wherein the matrix comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of amorphous silicon nitrogen carbon oxygen compounds (SiNCO), boron nitride (BN), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) and combinations thereof.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein matrix surrounds ceramic fibers selected from the groups consisting of silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), carbon (C), and combinations thereof.

19. Method as in claim 17 wherein the monolithic ceramic layer is selected from the groups consisting essentially if silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), silicon aluminum oxynitride, (SiAlON), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon oxynitride (Si₂N₂O), aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide (HfO₂) zirconia (ZrO₂), siliconized silicon carbide (Si—

SiC) and combinations thereof.

20. A method as in claim 1 further including the step of crystallizing the matrix by heat treating said matrix at an elevated temperature.