Conversion Process of Amorphous Si-Al-C-O Fiber into Nearly Stoichiometric SiC Polycrystalline Fiber

Tyranno SA (SiC-polycrystalline fiber, Ube Industries Ltd.) shows excellent heat-resistance up to $2000^{\circ}C$ with relatively high mechanical strength. This fiber is produced by the conversion process from a raw material (amorphous Si-Al-C-O fiber) into SiC-polycrystalline fiber at very high temperatures over $1500^{\circ}C$ in argon. In this conversion process, the degradation reaction of the amorphous Si-Al-C-O fiber accompanied by a release of CO gas for obtaining a stoichiometric composition and the subsequent sintering of the degraded fiber proceed. Furthermore, vaporization of gaseous SiO, phase transformation and active diffusion of the components of the Si-Al-C-O fiber competitively occur. Of these changes, vaporization of the gaseous SiO during the conversion process results in an abnormal SiC-grain growth and also leads to the non-stoichiometric composition. However, using a modified Si-Al-C-O fiber with an oxygen-rich surface, vaporization of the gaseous SiO was effectively prevented, and then consequently a nearly stoichiometric SiC composition could be obtained.