Methods for repairing a turbine airfoil constructed from cmc material

Abstract

Methods for repairing a turbine airfoil constructed from a CMC material are provided via filling a cavity located in the turbine airfoil with a ceramic paste (e.g., including a ceramic powder and a binder), heating the ceramic paste in the cavity to remove the binder, thereby forming a porous ceramic material, and adding a molten ceramic material to the porous ceramic material. The cavity can be defined in an airfoil of the turbine airfoil (e.g., on a tip or cap of the airfoil). Intermediates formed during the repair of a turbine airfoil are also provided. The intermediate can generally include an airfoil comprising a CMC material, a cavity defined in the airfoil, and a porous ceramic material filling the cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of repairing an article constructed from a ceramic matrix composite material, the method comprising:
 filling a cavity located in the article with a ceramic paste, wherein the ceramic paste comprises a ceramic powder, a ceramic fiber, and a binder;   heating the ceramic paste in the cavity to remove the binder, thereby forming a porous ceramic material; and   adding a molten ceramic material to the porous ceramic material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the porous ceramic material is heated to about 100° C. or higher to remove the binder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic fiber comprises silicon carbide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the ceramic fiber is coated with particles. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the particles comprise boron, carbon, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 heating the porous ceramic material to a temperature of about 1000° C. to about 1500° C. prior to adding the molten ceramic material.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molten ceramic material is added to the porous ceramic material at a temperature of about 1000° C. to about 2000° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after adding the molten ceramic material:
 cooling the porous ceramic material and molten ceramic material to form a ceramic patch in the cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 shaping the ceramic patch.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molten ceramic material comprises silicon carbide. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heating the porous ceramic material to remove the binder is achieved locally. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a turbine airfoil. 
     
     
         13 . A method of repairing a tip or cap of an airfoil constructed from a ceramic matrix composite material, the method comprising:
 filling a cavity located on the tip or cap of the airfoil of the turbine airfoil with a ceramic paste, wherein the ceramic paste comprises a ceramic powder, a ceramic fiber, and a binder;   heating the ceramic paste in the cavity to remove the binder, thereby forming a porous ceramic material; and   adding a molten ceramic material to the porous ceramic material, wherein the molten ceramic material comprises silicon carbide.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 heating the porous ceramic material to a temperature of about 1000° C. to about 1500° C. prior to adding the molten ceramic material.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the molten ceramic material is added to the porous ceramic material at a temperature of about 1000° C. to about 2000° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the ceramic fiber comprises silicon carbide. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ceramic fiber is coated with particles. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the particles comprise boron, carbon, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . An intermediate formed during the repair of a turbine airfoil, the intermediate comprising:
 an airfoil comprising a ceramic matrix composite material;   a cavity defined in the airfoil; and   a porous ceramic material filling the cavity, wherein the porous ceramic material comprises a ceramic powder, a ceramic fiber, and a binder.   
     
     
         20 . The intermediate as in  claim 19 , wherein the ceramic fiber comprises silicon carbide, and wherein the ceramic fiber is coated with particles.