PHASE IDENTIFICATION IN COMPOSITE-MATERIALS BY EELS FINE-STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

Microanalytical results obtained from two SiC-fibre-reinforced borosil icate glasses with hot-pressing temperatures of about 1373 and 1543 K show that for nanometre-sized regions a detailed phase analysis with r espect to the chemical bonding of a certain element is possible by inv estigating energy-loss near-edge structures (ELNES), Examples are pres ented of the bonding state of silicon as revealed by analysing the Si- L(23) ELNES, which generally varies from predominantly carbidic in the fibre to oxidic in the matrix. In addition, content and type of silic on-containing phases inside carbon-rich interlayers, usually arising b etween fibre and matrix owing to chemical reactions, are characterized .