2D SiC/SiC Manufactured by Chemical Vapor Infiltration: Narrow Band Random Vibration Fatigue Damage and Performance Degradation

doi:10.15541/jim20250184

Abstract

Abstract:

Under demanding service conditions, the operational requirements, namely high-temperature performance and structural weight reduction, in aero-engine hot section components continue to intensify. Silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) composites are widely recognized as exceptionally promising alternative materials owing to their outstanding high-temperature stability, substantially reduced density and superior corrosion resistance. However, in actual service environments, these composites inevitably experience complex vibrational loading spectra, which induce fatigue damage accumulation emerging as a critical limiting factor in their practical engineering implementation. In this study, 2D SiC/SiC plates were fabricated by chemical vapor infiltration. Specimens featuring bilateral arc-shaped notches were machined from the plates and subsequently subjected to narrow band random vibration fatigue tests under the first-order vibration mode. This experimental approach was undertaken specifically to investigate the progressive damage evolution process and the accompanying degradation patterns in tensile properties under vibrational fatigue loading. The experimental findings reveal that the normalized full time-domain characteristic curves of the 2D SiC/SiC plate structures exhibit progressive downward displacement while the applied equivalent stress amplitude increases. These curves concurrently manifest pronounced statistical dispersion throughout low-stress loading regime. Based on microstructural analyses, the damage evolution within the 2D SiC/SiC plate structure can be classified into three distinct and sequential stages: the initial matrix damage stage, the subsequent interface damage stage, and the final fiber damage stage. Quantitatively, the damage progression rate follows a distinct correlated three stage evolution—commencing with rapid progression, then transitioning to reduced propagation velocity, and lastly culminating in accelerated damage advancement. Residual tensile properties demonstrate that the tensile characteristics of the 2D SiC/SiC plate structure follow an exponential decline trend. At a resonance frequency reduction of 31.9%, the tensile strength, proportional limit stress, elastic modulus, and resilience modulus have degraded to 270.0 MPa, 64.1 MPa, 106.3 GPa, and 0.020 MJ/m³, respectively, all falling below 70% of the corresponding values in the as-fabricated pristine state. Subsequent analyses of the tensile fracture surface reveal matrix cracking and pronounced fiber wear as the dominant damage mechanisms responsible for the significant degradation observed in the tensile properties of the vibration fatigued composite structure. These findings provide a critical experimental basis for assessing the service reliability of 2D SiC/SiC plate structures under vibrational service conditions.

Key words: 2D SiC/SiC, random vibration, fatigue damage, equivalent stress, tensile property

CLC Number:

TB332

LIU Mingyang, WANG Chun, CHENG Pengfei, MA Xuehan, GAO Xiangyun, YOU Bojie, ZHAO Lufeng, CHENG Laifei, ZHANG Yi. 2D SiC/SiC Manufactured by Chemical Vapor Infiltration: Narrow Band Random Vibration Fatigue Damage and Performance Degradation[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2026, 41(3): 349-358.

Figures/Tables 16

Fig. 1 Preform structure (a), specimen shape design (b) and vibration testing system (c, d) of 2D SiC/SiC Unit: mm

Fig. 2 Frequency band of narrow band excitation signal

Table 1 Parameters of 2D SiC/SiC specimens for random vibration test

Specimen	Resonance frequency/Hz	Vibration load/ (g²·Hz^-1)	Strain RMS, με
No.V1	325.00	1.01	430
No.V2	317.65	1.01	430
No.V3	326.00	0.91	430
No.V4	309.66	2.88	450
No.V5	315.05	5.00	530
No.V6	315.05	0.99	400

Fig. 3 Stress-strain curves of as-received 2D SiC/SiC specimen Colorful figure is available on website

Table 2 Tensile properties of as-received 2D SiC/SiC

Property	No.T1	No.T2	No.T3	Average	Standard error
Tensile strength/MPa	418.5	397.8	382.2	399.5	18.2
Proportional limit stress/MPa	131.8	132.6	133.0	132.5	0.6
Elastic modulus/GPa	282.3	267.5	276.0	275.3	7.4
Rebound modulus/(MJ·m^-3)	0.035	0.032	0.031	0.033	0.002

Fig. 4 Strain time-domain response curves (a), acceleration power spectral density response curves (b) and normalized full-time domain curves of random vibration test (c) of 2D SiC/SiC

Table 3 Results of 2D SiC/SiC random vibration test

Specimen	Equivalent stress$,{\sigma }_{\text{e}}$/MPa	Initial resonance frequency, f_i/Hz	Terminal resonance frequency/Hz	Decrease in resonance frequency, Δf/%	Number of cycles
No.V1	120	285.63	270.31	5.3	1.96×10⁷
No.V2	120	282.81	257.81	8.8	2.02×10⁷
No.V3	120	289.38	262.81	9.2	2.07×10⁷
No.V4	124	273.56	242.07	14.1	1.80×10⁷
No.V5	146	268.80	196.29	26.9	4.00×10⁶
No.V6	110	299.06	203.75	31.9	3.85×10⁷

Fig. 5 CT scan images of 2D SiC/SiC

Fig. 6 Side view SEM images of 2D SiC/SiC specimens

Fig. 7 Cross-sectional SEM images of 2D SiC/SiC specimens

Fig. 8 Three stages of damage accumulation process of 2D SiC/SiC

Fig. 9 Degradation in tensile properties of 2D SiC/SiC (a) Stress-strain curves; (b) Tensile strength; (c) Proportional limit stress; (d) Elastic modulus; (e) Rebound modulus Colorful figures are available on website

Table 4 Fitting parameters a and b for residual tensile properties after random vibration fatigue

Tensile property	a	b	Goodness of fitting, R²
Tensile strength	132.71	12.54	0.89
Proportional limit stress	66.67	6.82	0.97
Elastic modulus	183.71	14.12	0.95
Rebound modulus	0.01285	9.168	0.93

Fig. 10 Tensile fracture morphology and matrix crack spacing of 2D SiC/SiC

Table 5 Matrix crack spacings of 2D SiC/SiC

Decrease in resonance frequency, Δf/%	Matrix crack spacings, l_c/μm			Average value/μm	Standard error/μm
0	134	196	169	166.3	25.38
5.3	98	100	66	88.0	15.58
8.8	127	48	58	78.7	35.12
9.2	258	94	187	179.7	67.15
31.9	215	182	178	191.7	16.58

Fig. 11 Fiber pull-out length and damage evolution of 2D SiC/SiC

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