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Content archived on 2024-04-15

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR SILICON CARBIDE WHISKERS FOR COMPOSITE MATERIALS REINFORCEMENT

Objective


This project reached its goal of researching and creating a continuous-process furnace for the growing of silicon carbide whiskers.

Partners researched the fundamentals of SiC whiskers and found that a raw mix of materials with higher than expected carbon content is desirable; production can take place in temperatures between 1350 C and 1800 C; iron is one of the best and cheapest catalysts; and some additives, such as CaCO3 and Na2CO3, have a strong effect on whiskers.
IT IS PROPOSED TO PREPARE SILICON CARBIDE (AND PERHAPS SILICON NITRIDE) WHISKER BY A CONTINUOUS PROCESS INVOLVING FOUR MAIN STAGES:
1. WET BLENDING OF THE RAW MATERIALS: POWDER OF SILICA - CARBON BLACK;2. REACTION IN A SPECIFIC CONTINUOUS HIGH TEMPERATURE FURNACE;3. DRY HOT CHEMICAL PURIFICATION WITH GASEOUS HYDROFLUORIC ACID;4. MORPHOLOGICAL SORTING BY AN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE PROPERTIES OF THE MANUFACTURED SILICON CARBIDE WHISKER WILL BE MEASURED AND THE UNIVERSITY LABORATORIES WILL INVESTIGATE THE MECHANISMS OF WHISKER FORMATION AND WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTION PARAMETERS.

THIS RESEARCH SHOULD LEAD TO:
- AN INCREASE OF WHISKER QUALITY
- A DECREASE OF WHISKER PRICE.

IF THESE TWO AIMS ARE REACHED AND THE WHISKER PRICE IS SUFFICIENTLY LOW, THE MARKET FOR FIBRE-COMPOSITES SHOULD OPEN UP.

PARTICULAR EMPHASIS WILL BE LAID IN THE PROJECT ON WHISKER APPLICATIONS IN COMPOSITE MATERIALS WITH METALLIC MATRICES.

Topic(s)

Data not available

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

Pechiney Électrométallurgie SA
EU contribution
No data
Address
6 place de l'Iris
92087 Paris la Défense
France

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Total cost
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Participants (3)