Ceramicinfiltrated

Ceramicinfiltrated is a term used to describe materials produced by infiltrating a porous or fibrous scaffold with a ceramic phase, resulting in a ceramic-infiltrated composite. The name is not widely standardized in the literature; more common descriptions include ceramic infiltration or ceramic matrix composites (CMCs).

Infiltration methods aim to fill the pore network of a preform with ceramic material to form a coherent network or dense matrix. Techniques include liquid precursor infiltration, chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), and polymer-derived ceramic approaches. In liquid precursor infiltration, a ceramic slurry or resin containing inorganic monomers penetrates the pore structure and is converted to ceramic through heat treatment. In CVI, a gaseous ceramic precursor deposits on interior surfaces within a porous preform, building a continuous ceramic network. In polymer-derived ceramics, a polymer-impregnated scaffold is cured and pyrolyzed to convert the polymer into ceramic, often with multiple cycles to reach the desired density.

Common ceramic systems used in infiltration include silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si3N4), alumina (Al2O3), and zirconia-based ceramics. The resulting materials are typically designed to combine high-temperature stability and hardness with improved toughness relative to fully dense ceramics, by leveraging the composite-like microstructure created during infiltration.

Applications are found in aerospace, automotive, and industrial components that require wear resistance or high-temperature performance, such as seals, bearings, heat exchangers, and cutting tools. Processing can be complex and costly, and challenges include achieving uniform infiltration, controlling residual porosity, and managing thermal-expansion mismatch.