OXIDATION OF CARBON-FIBERS AND FILMS IN CERAMIC-MATRIX COMPOSITES - AWEAK-LINK PROCESS

Non-planar morphologies observed in the reaction front of carbon fiber s or interphases receding into a ceramic matrix have been analyzed. A numerical simulation was used to evaluate the parameters which control the morphology of the receding carbon reaction front. The study has i ndicated that in addition to influencing the recession kinetics, the m orphology of the reaction front contains information regarding the int erplay between oxidation behavior and microstructural features of the carbon. The implications of non-planar morphology development in reced ing carbon constituents with respect to ceramic matrix composites are evaluated.