Effects of Thermal Treatment on Tensile Creep and Stress-Rupture Behavior of Hi-Nicalon SiC Fibers

Tensile creep and stress-rupture studies were conducted on Hi-Nicalon SiC fibers at 1200 and 1400 C in argon and air. Examined were as-received fibers as well as fibers annealed from 1400 to 1800 C for 1 hour in argon before testing. The creep and rupture results for these annealed fibers were compared to those of the as-received fibers to determine the effects of annealing temperature, test temperature, and test environment. Argon anneals up to 1500 C degrade room temperature strength of Hi-Nicalon fibers, but improve fiber creep resistance in argon or air by as much as 100% with no significant degradation in rupture strength. Argon anneals above 1500 C continue to improve fiber creep resistance when tested in argon, but significantly degrade creep resistance and rupture strength when tested in air. Decrease in creep resistance in air is greater at 1200 C than at 1400 C. Mechanisms are suggested for the observed behavior