Microstructure and morphology of SiCf-SiBC composites

This paper deals with the study of a new generation of ceramic matrix compo sites, SiCf-SiBC, which consists of a 2.5D perform of SiC fibers and of a s elf sealing multilayered matrix. Three different batches of these CMCs have been investigated in a morphological point of view thanks to the observati ons performed at the mesoscopic scale by scanning electron microscopy and a utomatic image analysis, and also at a microscopic scale by transmission el ectron microscopy. Through this study, a lot of care was taken about the de scription of the pyrocarbon interphase and of the different matrix interfac es, which play a key role in the damage features, and more specially in the deflection of the matrix microcracks developed through tested mechanical c omposites.