VARIATIONS IN NANOSTRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION FOR CONTROLLING THE INTERFACIAL PROPERTIES OF METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES AND CERAMIC-MATRIX COMPOSITES

Interface properties are critical to the strength and toughness of met al matrix composites and ceramic matrix composites. These interfaces p rovide both diffusion barriers and load transfer functions. The nanost ructure across the interface was varied to fulfill conflicting diffusi on and load transfer demands. The deposition conditions developed allo w nanostructure control of TIN fiber coatings. The TIN coating varied from a dense, diffusion-limiting layer to a columnar bond-debond layer . TiN was deposited in a reel-to-reel, cylindrical magnetron coater. T he fiber bias and gas flow rates were the dominant deposition paramete rs controlling the nanostructure. Nanostructure changes were examined after consolidation in a Ti matrix and additional heat treatments at 1 000 degrees C.