Technology Transfer Department

Application sectors

Problem to solve

Large-scale production of ceramic composites is still restricted by the lack of specifications and databases on these materials, criteria for connection with other materials, procedures for repair in service, but especially from the production costs still too much high affected also from fiber costs. The technological effort required for the development of these materials is remarkable so long as, being devoted to flagship applications, consequently require advanced production technologies. Among the techniques for the production of ceramic composites, the Chemical Vapour Infiltration (CVI) is the most promising one. This process is highly flexible as it allows the production of different types of matrix materials and is the most suitable for the realization of complex structures, which minimize the final machining operations.

Description

The CVI/CVD plant works in isobaric/isothermal conditions for the production of pyrolytic carbon. The technique allows the production of composites through the infiltration (CVI) of the ceramic matrix inside the porosities of a preform made up of ceramic fibres: the matrix gaseous precursor, in the appropriate conditions of temperature and pressure, directly deposits the solid matrix, filling gradually the porosities of the preform until its almost complete densification. When the process takes place on a non-porous substrate it is referred as chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The CVI/CVD process is highly flexible as it allows the production of different types of matrices, with high purity and with controlled composition and microstructure and is the most suitable for the creation of complex structures.

Research group involved