• Current Industrial and Technological Trends in Aerospace
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.76-84
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• 2009

In this review an attempt is made to give the background to the current trends in foreign developments in the ceramic matrix composites for space vehicles. The lightweight and high temperature specific modulus properties of ceramic composites have continued to develop for designing advanced propulsion structures and for increasing space vehicle performances. Those applications require advanced materials with good resistance to high temperatures, to oxidation environments and to mechanical stresses. The advantages of ceramic matrix composites are the low specific weight, the high specific strength over a wide temperature ranges, and their good damage tolerance compared to tungsten, pyrographites and polycrystalline graphites. Due to these advantages ceramic matrix composites are currently used in rocket engine chamber, nozzle, solar array, radar antenna, mirror support structures, hypersonic leading edge articles, heat shields, reentry vehicle nose tips, and radiators for spacecraft. Various processes are discussed together with examples of current application so that some of the advanced technologies can be possibly applied to Korean space technology.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 1999

Alumina matrix composites reinforced with up to 20vol% of aligned SiC whiskers were fabricated by tape casting and hot pressing. Alumina composited with randomly distribution SiC whiskers were also fabricated in order to investigate the effect of whisker alignment on properties of the composites. XRD and optical microscopy were used to examine the whisker orientation. The fracture toughness increased with increasing whisker content, and it was higher in the direction normal to the tape casting direction.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2012

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) represent a class of non-brittle refractory materials for harsh and extreme environments in aerospace and other applications. The quasi-ductility of these structural materials depends on the quality of the interface between the matrix and the fiber surface. In this study, a manufacture route is described where in contrast to most other processes no additional fiber coating is used to adjust the fiber/matrix interfaces in order to obtain damage tolerance and fracture toughness. Adapted microstructures of uncoated carbon fiber preforms were developed to permit the rapid infiltration of molten alloys and the subsequent reaction with the carbon matrix. Furthermore, any direct reaction between the melt and fibers was minimized. Using pure silicon as the reactive melt, C/SiC composites were manufactured with an aim of employing the resulting composite for friction applications. This paper describes the formation of the microstructure inside the C/C preform and resulting C/C-SiC composite, in addition to the MAX phases.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.11 s.282
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• pp.703-717
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• 2005

The infiltration of ceramics by liquid metals to fabricate ceramic-metal composites is discussed. In particular, the complexity of infiltrating ceramics by liquid metals at high temperatures due to interfacial reactions, metal oxidation, pore modulation and closure, and transient capillary forces has been highlighted. The role of these factors is discussed in the context of reactive infiltration with examples from ceramic/metal composites of practical interest. In addition to flow through porous ceramics, reactive penetration of dense ceramics via chemical dissolution and reaction is also discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.832-836
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• 2003

Multi-layer ceramic composites were prepared by tape casting followed by hot pressing using silicon nitride layer with silicon nitride whiskers, silicon nitride layer with silicon carbide particles and boron nitride-alumina layer. The whiskers were aligned during the casting. As the whisker content of the silicon nitride layer was increased up to 10 wt％, the flexural strength of the multi-layer composite was increased. However, further increase of the whisker content in the layer resulted in a rapid decrease of the strength of the composite. The results suggest that the strength of multi-layer ceramic composite showing non-catastrophic failure behavior can be significantly improved by incorporating the aligned whiskers in the layers.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.622-627
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• 2002

Multi-layer composites consisting of silicon nitride, silicon nitride-silicon carbide and boron nitride-alumina layers were prepared fly stacking the corresponding ceramic tapes. The composites demonstrated self-diagnostic capability and non-catastrophic failure behavior. The composites consisting of many thin layers exhibited high strength and stepwise increase of the electrical resistance during the flexure test. The strength of the composite with too thick silicon nitride layers was low and the electrical resistance was abruptly increased to the detection limit of the digital multi-meter during the test. An extensive crack branching was observed in the weak (BN + Al$_2$O$_3$)layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.525-526
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• 2006

Calcium-hexaluminate phase $(CA_6)$ is known to be effective for the crack shielding due to the spinel block crystal structure. In this study, we focused to the control of $CA_6$ morphology for good damage tolerance behavior in alumina and zirconia/calcium-hexaluminate $(CA_6)$ composites. Calcium-hexaluminate $(CA_6)$ composites were prepared from zirconia, alumina and calcium carbornate powders. Calcium-hexaluminate $(CA_6)$ phase was obtained by the solid reaction through the formation of intermediate phase $(CA_2)$. $CA_6$ phase showed the column type abnormal grain grown behavior composed of small blocks. Due to the typical microstructure of $CA_6$, alumina and zirconia/calcium-hexaluminate composites provide a well controlled crack propagation behavior.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.442-448
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• 2009

$ZrB_2$-based composites are candidate materials for ultra-high temperature materials (UHTMs). $ZrB_2$ has become an indispensable ingredient in UHTMs, due to its high melting temperature, relatively low density, and excellent resistance to thermal shock or oxidation. $ZrB_2$ powders are usually synthesized by solid state reactions such as carbothermal, borothermal, or combined carbothermal reaction. SiC is added to this system in order to enhance the oxidation resistance of $ZrB_2$. In this study, $ZrB_2$?based composites were successfully synthesized and densified through two different processing paths. $ZrB_2$ or $ZrB_2$ 25 vol.%SiC was fully synthesized from oxide starting materials with reducing agents after heat treatment at 1400$^{\circ}C$. Besides, $ZrB_2$?20 vol.%SiC was fully densified with $B_4C$ as a sintering additive after hot pressing at 1900$^{\circ}C$. The synthesis mechanism and the effect of sintering additives on densification of $ZrB_2$ ?SiC composites were also discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.5-13
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• 2006

Based on the inventions of continuous ceramic fibers, such as C, SiC, $Al_2O_3$ etc., by polymer precursor driven methods, there have been many efforts to fabricate ceramic continuous fiber reinforced composite materials with metals and ceramics matrices. The main purpose of the R & D efforts has been to produce materials for severe environments, including advanced energy systems, advanced transportation systems. The efforts have been started from the R & D of metal matrix composite materials and now the strong emphasis on ceramic matrix composites R & D can be recognized. This paper provides a brief review about the national efforts to establish advanced composite materials for future industries starting from mid 70s. C/Al and SiC/Al are the typical examples to be applied transportation systems and energy systems. The excellences in specific strength and overall mechanical properties, the excellences in environmental resistance make those materials as potential materials for advanced ocean construction and marine transportation systems. About the recent progress in ceramic fiber reinforced ceramic composites, advanced SiC/SiC composites including NITE-SiC/SiC will be introduced and the present status will be introduced.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.531-538
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• 1999