Effect of carbon and silicon carbide/carbon interlayers on the mechanical behavior of tyranno-SA-fiber-reinforced silicon carbide-matrix composites

Several CVI-SiC/SiC composites were fabricated and the mechanical properties were investigated using unloading-reloading tensile tests. The composites were reinforced with a new Tyranno-SA fiber (2-D, plain-woven). Various carbon and SiC/C layers were deposited as fiber/matrix interlayers by the isothermal CVI process. The Tyranno-SA/SiC composites exhibited high proportional limit stress (∼120 MPa) and relatively small strain-to-failure. The tensile stress/strain curves exhibited features corresponding to strong interfacial shear and sliding resistance, and indicated failures of all the composites before matrix-cracking saturation was achieved. Fiber/matrix debonding and relatively short fiber pullouts were observed on the fracture surfaces. The ultimate tensile strength displayed an increasing trend with increasing carbon layer thickness up to 100 nm. Further improvement of the mechanical properties of Tyranno-SA/SiC composites is expected with more suitable interlayer structures.