Abstract
The progress of the development of SiC fiber-reinforced SiC (SiC/SiC) composites focusing on applying the composites to nuclear fusion systems is overviewed. The physical and mechanical properties of SiC/SiC composites prepared with chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), polymer impregnation and pyrolysis (PIP), reaction sintering (RS), and liquid-phase sintering (LPS) are presented. Among various SiC/SiC composites, LPS SiC/SiC composite, so-called nano-powder infiltration and transient eutectoid (NITE) process, with a density close to that of monolithic SiC shows the highest thermal conductivity and mechanical properties. CVI and NITE SiC/SiC composites demonstrate excellent neutron irradiation resistance on thermal conductivity, swelling, flexural strength, and creep properties at temperatures up to 1000 °C. The composites also offer low induced activity, favorable chemical compatibility with liquid candidate coolant of Pb-Li and solid breeder materials, and preferable joining characteristics.
Abbreviations
- A-SSTR:
-
Advanced steady-state tokamak reactor
- BMAS:
-
BaO2-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2
- BSR:
-
Bend stress relaxation
- CMC:
-
Ceramic matrix composite
- CVI:
-
Chemical vapor infiltration
- D-T:
-
Deuterium-tritium
- FCVI:
-
Forced-thermal gradient chemical vapor infiltration
- HP:
-
Hot pressing
- ITER:
-
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
- LPS:
-
Liquid phase sintering
- NITE:
-
Nano-powder infiltration and transient eutectoid
- PCS:
-
Polycarbosilane
- PIP:
-
Polymer impregnation and pyrolysis
- PMS:
-
Polymethylsilane
- PVS:
-
Polyvinylsilane
- RS:
-
Reaction sintering
- SEMB:
-
Single-edge notched beam
- SiC/SiC:
-
SiC fiber-reinforced SiC
- TBM:
-
Test blanket modules
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Noda, T. (2019). Advanced SiC-SiC Composites for Nuclear Application. In: Mahajan, Y., Roy, J. (eds) Handbook of Advanced Ceramics and Composites. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73255-8_20-1
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