Composite components with coated fiber reinforcements

Abstract

A composite component and methods for making the same are disclosed in this paper. The composite component includes a matrix material and reinforcements suspended in the matrix material. The reinforcements include fibers and a multilayer coating deposited on the fibers.

1 . A method of making a reinforcement for a composite component, the method comprising
 depositing an oxide coating onto a fiber,   depositing a silicon-containing coating onto the oxide coating, and   heating the coated fiber to a predetermined temperature to form a predetermined amount of silicate in the silicon-containing coating at the interface of the oxide coating and the silicon-containing coating.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heating the coated fiber to a predetermined temperature to form a predetermined amount of silicate at the interface of the oxide coating and the silicon-containing coating is performed for a predetermined amount of time in a furnace. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the predetermined temperature is between about 800 and 1500 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silicate formed at the interface of the oxide coating and the silicon-containing coating includes silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the silicon-containing coating has a porosity by volume of between about 10 percent and 20 percent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the oxide coating has a porosity by volume of between about 10 percent and 20 percent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber includes silicon carbide and the silicon-containing coating includes silicon carbide. 
     
     
         8 . A reinforcement for a composite component comprising
 a fiber,   a multilayer coating including an oxide coating and a silicon-containing coating in contact with the oxide coating to form an interface, and   a silicate formed at the interface by heating of the fiber, the oxide coating, and the silicon-containing coating to a predetermined temperature so that a predetermined amount of silicate is produced.   
     
     
         9 . The reinforcement of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined temperature is greater than 800 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         10 . The reinforcement  claim 8 , wherein the silicate formed at the interface of the oxide coating and the silicon-containing coating includes silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         11 . The reinforcement of  claim 8 , wherein the silicon-containing coating has a porosity by volume of between about 10 percent and 20 percent. 
     
     
         12 . The reinforcement of  claim 11 , wherein the oxide coating has a porosity by volume of between about 10 percent and 20 percent. 
     
     
         13 . The reinforcement of  claim 8 , wherein the fiber includes silicon carbide and the silicon-containing coating includes silicon carbide. 
     
     
         14 . A method of making a composite component comprising
 preparing reinforcements by depositing an oxide coating and depositing a silicon-containing coating onto the oxide coating,   suspending the reinforcements in a matrix material, and   heating the reinforcements to a predetermined temperature to form a controlled amount of silicate at the interface of the oxide coating and the silicon-containing coating.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein heating the coated fiber to a predetermined temperature to form a predetermined amount of silicate at the interface of the oxide coating and the silicon-containing coating is performed for a predetermined amount of time in a furnace. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined temperature is greater than 800 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein heating the reinforcements to a predetermined temperature is performed before suspending the reinforcements in a matrix material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the silicon-containing coating includes silicon carbide and the fiber includes silicon carbide. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the matrix material includes silicon carbide. 
     
     
         20 .- 25 . (canceled)