FIBER-REINFORCED DIAMOND MATRIX COMPOSITES

The feasibility of fiber-reinforced diamond matrix composites was exam ined. For this purpose, monofilament composite specimens were fabricat ed using SiC fibers. The diamond was deposited onto the fibers using p lasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The mechanical properties of the composite were characterized using uniaxial tensile tests. The sp ecimens exhibited multiple matrix cracking, followed by fiber fracture and fiber pullout. The measurements were used to obtain an estimate o f the interface sliding stress and the in-situ fiber strength.