Progress in processing and performance of porous-matrix oxide/oxide composites

All-oxide continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites are enabling materials for high-temperature structural applications in oxidizing environments. However, their industrial use requires further improvements in material performance as well as a significant reduction of the processing costs. This article gives some insight into a novel colloidal processing route. A porous mullite matrix was designed to obtain damage-tolerant behavior as well as high-temperature long-term stability. Laminated composites were formed with conventional techniques similar to the manufacture of polymer matrix composites. This simple and low-cost process leads to homogeneous microstructures with improved material properties compared with the state of the art in continuous fiber-reinforced oxide/oxide composites. The developed composites in the present study exhibit favorable mechanical properties both at room temperature and after thermal aging for 1000 h at temperatures up to 1300 degrees C.