Thermal protection systems comprising flexible regions of inter-bonded lamina of ceramic matrix composite material and methods of forming the same

• US 8,974,891 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: COI Ceramics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: COI Ceramics, Inc.
• Inventors: Riedell, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Loney, Donald J
• Application Number:
  US11/925,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20120171430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,692 Days
• Field of Search: 428/49, 428/52, 428/53, 428/77, 428/166, 428/172, 428/188, 428/174, 277/345, 277/405, 277/650, 277/346, 244/121, 244/131, 244/159.1, 244/171.1, 522/76, 523/92, 523/93, 523/961, 524/043, 524/073, 525/05, 525/821, 415/134, 415/135, 156/89.11, 156/289, 156/290, 156/304.1
• US Class Current: 428/166
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 18/00 Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2315/02 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/10 characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/20 of hollow pieces, e.g. tubes; of pieces with channels or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0084 Point bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/18 involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1808 characterised by the laying up of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6028 Shaping around a core which is removed later
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6581 Total pressure below 1 atmosphere, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6583 Oxygen containing atmosphere, e.g. with changing oxygen pressures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/6585 at an oxygen percentage above that of air
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/664 Reductive annealing
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/668 Pressureless sintering
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/062 based on silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/064 based on alumina or aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/08 Non-oxidic interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/086 Carbon interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/10 Glass interlayers, e.g. frit or flux
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/122 based on refractory metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/127 : The active component for bonding being a refractory metal
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/30 : Composition of layers of ceramic laminates or of ceramic or metallic articles to be joined by heating, e.g. Si substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/32 : Ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/341 : Silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/343 : Alumina or aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/36 : Non-oxidic
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/363 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/365 : Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/368 : Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/38 : Fiber or whisker reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/525 : by heating
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/592 : whereby the interlayer is not continuous, e.g. not the whole surface of the smallest substrate is covered by the interlayer
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/62 : Forming laminates or joined articles comprising holes, channels or other types of openings
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/76 : Forming laminates or joined articles comprising at least one member in the form other than a sheet or disc, e.g. two tubes or a tube and a sheet or disc
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/634 : Polymers C04B35/636 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/64 : Burning or sintering processes C04B33/32 takes precedence ; powder metallurgy B22F
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/645 : Pressure sintering
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/005 : consisting of glass or ceramic material
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/006 : consisting of metals or metal salts
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/008 : by means of an interlayer consisting of an organic adhesive, e.g. phenol resin or pitch
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/104 : characterised by structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/169 : Sections connected flexibly with external fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/17 : Three or more coplanar interfitted sections with securing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 : Interlaminar spaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24752 : Laterally noncoextensive components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24926 : including ceramic, glass, porcelain or quartz layer

Abstract

Methods of forming ceramic matrix composite structures include joining at least two lamina together to form a flexible ceramic matrix composite structure. Ceramic matrix composite structures include at least one region of reduced inter-laminar bonding at a selected location between lamina thereof. Thermal protection systems include at least one seal comprising a ceramic matrix composite material and have at least one region of reduced inter-laminar bonding at a selected location between lamina used to form the seal. Methods of forming thermal protection systems include providing one or more such seals between adjacent panels of a thermal protection system.

Claims

1. A thermal protection system, comprising:

a plurality of mutually laterally adjacent panels; and

at least one seal having a portion extending over a gap between at least two laterally adjacent panels of the plurality of mutually laterally adjacent panels, the at least one seal comprising;

a plurality of inter-bonded adjacent lamina, each comprising a ceramic matrix composite material comprising a continuous reinforcing phase embedded in a ceramic matrix; and

at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding between at least two lamina of the plurality of inter-bonded adjacent lamina, the at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding spanning a curved flexible region of the at least two lamina between at least two bonded regions of the at least two lamina.

2. The thermal protection system of claim 1, wherein the ceramic matrix composite material comprises one of an oxide-based ceramic matrix composite material and a non-oxide-based ceramic matrix composite material.

3. The thermal protection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one seal is configured as at least one of a leaf spring, a flex spring, a compression seal, a Belleville washer, and a two-sided seal.

4. The thermal protection system of claim 1, wherein the curved flexible region is defined by a void space between the at least two lamina of the plurality of inter-bonded adjacent lamina.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein forming at least one seal comprising configuring the at least one seal as at least one of a leaf spring, a flex spring, a compression seal, a Belleville washer, and a two-sided seal.

5. A method of forming a thermal protection system, comprising:

joining at least two lamina together to form a seal comprising a ceramic matrix composite material comprising a continuous reinforcing phase embedded in a ceramic matrix, the joined at least two lamina including at least two bonded regions and at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonds, the at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonds spanning a curved flexible region of the joined at least two lamina between the at least two bonded regions of the joined at least two lamina; and

positioning the seal between at least two laterally adjacent panels of a plurality of panels of the thermal protection system with a portion of the seal disposed over a gap between the at least two laterally adjacent panels and the at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonds positioned to permit the portion to move toward and away from the gap.

6. A method of forming a thermal protection system, comprising:

forming at least one seal, comprising;

forming a plurality of inter-bonded adjacent lamina, comprising joining at least two lamina together to include at least two bonded regions and at least one curved region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding between the at least two lamina, the at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding spanning the curved flexible region of the at least two lamina between the at least two bonded regions of the at least two lamina, each of the inter-bonded adjacent lamina comprising a ceramic matrix composite material comprising a continuous reinforcing phase embedded in a ceramic matrix;

disposing the at least one seal to have a portion extending over a gap between at least two laterally adjacent panels of a plurality of mutually laterally adjacent panels.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein joining at least two lamina together comprises:

providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina; and

sintering the at least two lamina to form a ceramic matrix composite structure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina comprises providing at least one of an organic material, a polymer material, a release agent, and an insert between the at least two lamina.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina comprises providing a silicone-based material between the at least two lamina.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina comprises applying a tape to at least one surface of the at least two lamina.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina comprises providing polytetrafluoroethylene between the at least two lamina.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina comprises:

providing an insert between the at least two lamina;

removing the insert from between the at least two lamina to form a void space therebetween, the void space defining the at least one curved region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding between the at least two lamina; and

sintering the at least two lamina to form the ceramic matrix composite structure after removing the insert from between the at least two lamina.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a bond-inhibiting structure at a selected location between the at least two lamina comprises:

placing a template over at least a portion of at least one lamina of the at least two lamina; and

applying the bond-inhibiting structure to a selected area of a surface of the at least one lamina of the at least two lamina through at least one aperture in the template.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein sintering the at least two lamina to form a ceramic matrix composite structure comprises removing the bond-inhibiting structure from between the at least two lamina.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein removing the bond-inhibiting structure from between the at least two lamina comprises oxidizing, or otherwise decomposing, the bond-inhibiting structure.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising curing a polymer precursor material in each lamina of the at least two lamina prior to sintering the at least two lamina to form the ceramic matrix composite structure.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein joining at least two lamina together comprises:

processing the at least two lamina to one of a green state, a brown state, and a fully sintered state; and

providing a bonding material at a selected location between the at least two lamina.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising sintering the at least two lamina to a final density.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein providing a bonding material comprises providing a bonding material selected from the group consisting of an adhesive and a brazing material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing a bonding material selected from the group consisting of an adhesive and a brazing material comprises providing a high-temperature ceramic-based adhesive.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein providing a bonding material selected from the group consisting of an adhesive and a brazing material comprises providing a brazing material selected from the group consisting of zirconium, hafnium, and HfB₂.