Process of Producing a Ceramic Matrix Composite

Abstract

A process of producing a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) is provided the steps of preparing a ceramic material having a plurality of pores as a CMC substrate; heating a metal material to be molten wherein the metal material has a melting point lower than the CMC substrate and has a high activity; adding the CMC substrate to the molten metal material so that the molten metal material enters the pores of the CMC substrate to occur chemical reactions; removing the CMC substrate filled with the molten metal material; and cooling the removed CMC substrate filled with the molten metal material to form a CMC having a plurality of metal grains. Plain strain fracture toughness (K IC ) of typical ceramic S26 is 4.53 MPa m 1/2 . As a comparison, CMC has K IC of 21.11 MPa m 1/2 about 466% of ceramic S26.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process of producing a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) comprising the steps of:
 preparing a ceramic material having a plurality of pores as a CMC substrate;   heating a metal material to be molten wherein the metal material has a melting point lower than the CMC substrate and has a high activity to react with the component of the CMC substrate;   adding the CMC substrate to the molten metal material so that the molten metal material enters the pores of the CMC substrate to occur chemical reactions;   removing the CMC substrate filled with the molten metal material; and   cooling the removed CMC substrate filled with the molten metal material to form a CMC having a plurality of metal grains.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the CMC substrate is formed of alumina, silica, zirconium dioxide, silicon carbide, copper oxide or silicon nitride. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the metal material is aluminum, nickel, tin, magnesium, beryllium, chromium, iron, zinc, zirconium, copper, or titanium and their alloys. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the CMC is subject to a step of removing portions of the metal grains by heating to a molten state or by etching with chemicals such as acids to form as a ceramic composite having a plurality of metal residues left in the pores near the surface of the CMC, the ceramic composite being capable of absorbing lubricant and being made into a ball bearing or a self-lubricating bearing.