Ceramic -metal composites prepared via tape casting and melt infiltration methods

Melt infiltration of preforms prepared by tape casting and lamination has been accomplished using a short-time infiltration process that significantly suppresses reaction product formation. For layered materials produced via infiltration of laminated ceramic tapes, of particular interest is the effect that a large change in microstructure has on infiltration, phase formation, and mechanical properties. Hardness of the fine scale composite layers is approximately three times higher than coarse scale layers, due to greater strength of the fine B4C network. Fractography showed that crack propagation occurred by brittle fracture of the carbide and ductile extension of the metal. Despite large differences in hardness, the fracture mode of the fine and coarse scale microstructures appears identical. Fluid flow modeling for tape casting was conducted with a Newtonian slurry under a parallel blade, and the effect of beveling the blade based on a one dimensional flow model is shown. The discussion on slurry deformation after the blade exit suggests that the mode of slurry deformation depends on the relative importance of the pressure gradient and wall shear and that the existence of zero shear plane might have a negative effect on particle alignment in the tape. The analysis of the flow under a beveled blade predicts that this configuration is more advantageous than the parallel blade for productivity and parallel blade is better for producing uniform particle alignment and thinner tape. Also, the one dimensional flow model for the beveled blade is shown to be a valid approximation of the fluid behavior below a blade angle of 45 degrees. The flow visualization study on tape casting was conducted with a transparent apparatus and model slurry. Most investigators have concluded that the shear stress between the doctor blade and moving carrier causes the particle alignment, but, according to the result of visualization experiment, some degree of particle alignment is already established in the reservoir. The fluid flow concept of tape casting is incorporated with a metal infiltration technique to prepare the ceramic-metal composites with tailored porosity and pore orientation. Boron carbide-aluminum system was used to prepare the composites, and its stiffness constants were investigated. The aligned metal ligaments rarely affect the stiffness constant anisotropy which appears to be caused by tape casting operation