Engineering Commons^™

Creep Of Hi-Nicalon™ S Ceramic Fiber Tows At 700°C In Air And In Silicic Acid-Saturated Steam, Matthew W. Piper

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft structural and engine components are subjected to elevated temperature and steam environments during operation. Turbine blades experience particularly harsh conditions that are approaching the operating temperature limits of current Nickel-based superalloys even with active cooling. Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), which demonstrate high specific strength and specific stiffness and maintain these properties at elevated temperatures such that active cooling is not required, are prime candidates to replace superalloys as the materials for turbine blades. Ceramic matrix composites are composite materials that consist of a ceramic matrix with fiber reinforcement. This research investigated a silicon carbide (SiC) fiber, Hi-Nicalon™ S, which …