Mechanical Property Failure of Alumina Fiber Reinforced Silica Composite

doi:10.15541/jim20250258

Abstract

Abstract:

Continuous alumina fiber-reinforced silica ceramic matrix composites exhibit excellent properties, such as high-temperature oxidation resistance, high strength and high toughness. As a dual-use material for both military and civilian applications, they hold broad prospects in numerous fields, including aviation, aerospace and energy. However, domestic research currently still remains on its initial stage and is characterized by a primarily qualitative understanding of their mechanical property failure mechanisms. In this study, an improved liquid-phase impregnation method, which integrated the process characteristics of the Sol-Gel method and slurry impregnation method, was adopted to prepare continuous alumina fiber-reinforced silica composites with tunable porosity. Microstructure and composition of the typical composite were comprehensively characterized using different techniques. Mechanical properties of these composites with different densification degrees were tested and analyzed. By integrating porosity data obtained from computed tomography (CT) test with simulation calculation, a relationship model linking mechanical property failure of the composites to porosity and pore size parameters was established. The results indicated that composites prepared via the improved liquid-phase impregnation method had significantly enhanced mechanical properties due to the presence of pore defects and weak interfacial bonding. Notably, as the composite porosity increased from 2.2% to 15.2%, the tensile strength decreased from 24.5 MPa to 17.8 MPa. Further modeling and simulation analysis revealed that, at a pore defect radius of 250 μm, an increase in porosity from 4.5% to 13.5% led to a corresponding reduction in tensile strength from 27.2 MPa to 20.6 MPa, thereby validating rationality of the simulation model. The law that the n-th power of tensile strength shows a negative linear correlation with porosity, and the tensile strength exponent factor n is negatively linearly correlated with the pore defect radius r. These findings provide a research basis for the performance optimization and practical application of continuous alumina fiber-reinforced silica composites.

Key words: alumina fiber, silica composite, mechanical property, porosity, pore defect size, failure

CLC Number:

TB332

ZHENG Chen, WANG Xiangning, YUAN Henan, YANG Jiawei, LI Chuanjian, WANG Huadong. Mechanical Property Failure of Alumina Fiber Reinforced Silica Composite[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2026, 41(3): 331-339.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig. 1 Flow diagram of the drying process

Fig. 2 SEM images (a-c) and EDS mappings (d-g) of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite

Fig. 3 XRD patterns of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite and quartz fiber reinforced silica composite

Fig. 4 XPS spectra of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite (a) Total; (b) C1s; (c) O1s; (d) Si2p; (e) Al2p

Table 1 Basic thermal properties of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite

Parameter	Value
Thermal conductivity/(W·m^-1·K^-1)	0.644 (300 ℃)
Average linear expansion coefficient/K^-1	5.26×10^-6 (RT-800 ℃)

Fig. 5 Mechanical property test results of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite (a) Tensile stress-strain curves; (b) Compressive stress-strain curves; (c) Bending stress-strain curves Colorful figures are available on website

Table 2 Mechanical properties of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite

Sample	1	2	3	4	5
Tensile strength/MPa	17.8	19.4	21.8	22.2	24.5
Compressive strength/MPa	51.0	58.0	55.9	71.5	79.8
Bending strength/MPa	81.2	90.6	93.5	111.9	101.6

Fig. 6 (a) Reconstructed stereogram from different angles, (b) inner slice image and (c) quantitative statistical results of cross-sectional defect/porosity analysis of tensile fracture sample

Table 3 Tensile strengths and porosities of tensile samples of alumina fiber reinforced silica composite

Sample	1	2	3	4	5
Tensile strength/MPa	17.8	19.4	21.8	22.2	24.5
Porosity/%	15.2	10.4	8.9	3.7	2.2

Fig. 7 (a) Position shift (strain) of the composite model during tensile fracture; (b) Critical porosities corresponding to different tensile strengths of composite materials with different pore defect radii

Fig. 8 (a) Relationship between tensile strength and porosity under different pore defect radii; (b) Relationship between exponential factor n and pore defect radius r

References 35

[1]	RITCHIE R O. The conflicts between strength and toughness. Nature Materials, 2011, 10(11): 817.
[2]	DONALD I, MCMILLAN P. Ceramic-matrix composites. Journal of Materials Science, 1976, 11: 949.
[3]	NASLAIN R R. Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites: state of the art, challenge and perspective. Kompozyty (Composites), 2005, 5(1): 3.
[4]	PETERS A B, ZHANG D, CHEN S, et al. Materials design for hypersonics. Nature Communications, 2024, 15: 3328.
[5]	ALAM M A, YA H, SAPUAN S, et al. Recent advancements in advanced composites for aerospace applications:a review//MAZLAN N, SAPUAN S M, ILYAS R A. Advanced composites in aerospace engineering applications. Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2022: 319-339.
[6]	KAYA H. The application of ceramic-matrix composites to the automotive ceramic gas turbine. Composites Science and Technology, 1999, 59(6): 861.
[7]	PRAMANIK S, MANNA A, TRIPATHY A, et al. Current advancements in ceramic matrix composites//KAR K K. Composite materials:processing, applications, characterizations. Berlin: Springer, 2017: 457-496.
[8]	ATAOLLAHI O A, PRAMANIK S, SHIRAZI S F, et al. A comparison in mechanical properties of cermets of calcium silicate with Ti-55Ni and Ti-6Al-4V alloys for hard tissues replacement. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 2014: 616804.
[9]	MAHMOUDINEZHAD S, SADI M, GHIASIRAD H, et al. A comprehensive review on the current technologies and recent developments in high-temperature heat exchangers. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2023, 183: 113467.
[10]	RASHID A B, HAQUE M, ISLAM S M M, et al. Breaking boundaries with ceramic matrix composites: a comprehensive overview of materials, manufacturing techniques, transformative applications, recent advancements, and future prospects. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2024, 2024: 2112358.
[11]	SHRIVASTAVA S, RAJAK D K, JOSHI T, et al. Ceramic matrix composites: classifications, manufacturing, properties, and applications. Ceramics, 2024, 7(2): 652.
[12]	张俊敏, 蔡飞燕, 靳喜海, 等. 连续纤维增强陶瓷基复合材料研究与应用进展. 陶瓷学报, 2023, 44(2): 195.
[13]	RAMACHANDRAN K, BEAR J C, JAYASEELAN D D. Oxide-based ceramic matrix composites for high-temperature environments: a review. Advanced Engineering Materials, 2025, 27(7): 2402000.
[14]	WANG Y, LIU H T, CHENG H F, et al. Research progress on oxide/oxide ceramic matrix composites. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2014, 29(7): 673.
[15]	DHANASEKAR S, GANESAN A T, RANI T L, et al. A comprehensive study of ceramic matrix composites for space applications. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2022, 2022: 1.
[16]	蔡德龙, 陈斐, 何凤梅, 等. 高温透波陶瓷材料研究进展. 现代技术陶瓷, 2019, 40(Z1): 4.
[17]	PARK S J, SEO M K. Interface science and composites. Oxford: Elsevier, 2011: 555-619.
[18]	WALOCK M J, HENG V, NIETO A, et al. High temperature durability of oxide-oxide ceramic matrix composites exposed to engine relevant conditions. Proceedings of the 12th Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology, Hoboken, 2018: 329-342.
[19]	ASHOK B, KANNAN C, MASON B, et al. Towards safer and smarter design for lithium-ion-battery-powered electric vehicles: a comprehensive review on control strategy architecture of battery management system. Energies, 2022, 15(12): 4227.
[20]	JIA Y N, CAO X, JIAO X L, et al. Preparation of alumina ceramic continuous fibers with inorganic acidic aluminum sol as precursor. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2023, 38(11): 1257.
[21]	WANG X G, YANG Q Q, LIN G L, et al. High temperature tensile property of domestic 550-grade continuous alumina ceramic fiber. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2022, 37(6): 629.
[22]	KRENKEL W. Ceramic matrix composites: fiber reinforced ceramics and their applications. Weinheim: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
[23]	TARIQ M, HANIF F, ASHRAF A. Overview of Nextel^TM based structures for space applications. Journal of Space Technology, 2011, 1(1): 88.
[24]	焦秀玲, 陈代荣. 氧化铝基陶瓷连续纤维研究进展. 硅酸盐学报, 2024, 52(8): 2738.
[25]	刘海韬, 姜如, 孙逊, 等. 连续氧化铝纤维增韧陶瓷基复合材料. 北京: 科学出版社, 2022: 55-58.
[26]	YANG J Y, WEAVER J H, ZOK F W, et al. Processing of oxide composites with three-dimensional fiber architectures. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 2009, 92(5): 1087.
[27]	SCOLA A, EBERLING-FUX N, TURENNE S, et al. New liquid processing of oxide/oxide 3D wowen ceramic matrix composites. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 2018, 102(6): 3256.
[28]	冻瑞岚, 彭志航, 向阳, 等. 氧化铝纤维增强氧化铝陶瓷基复合材料的组成及制备工艺的研究进展. 材料工程, 2023, 51(10): 27.
[29]	XIANG Y, WEN J, WANG Y, et al. Degradation of Al₂O_3f/SiO₂ composites exposed to Na₂SO₄ environment and MMH/N₂O₄ bipropellants test. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 2020, 17(5): 2114.
[30]	XIAO H, WU J M, CHEN A N, et al. Alumina fiber-reinforced silica matrix composites with improved mechanical properties prepared by a novel DCC-HVCI method. Ceramics International, 2017, 43(18): 16436.
[31]	LIU P S, FU C, LI T F, et al. Relationship between tensile strength and porosity for high porosity metals. Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences, 1999, 42(1): 100.
[32]	LIU P S, WANG X S, LUO H Y. Relationship between tensile strength and porosity for foamed metals under equal speed biaxial tension. Materials Science and Technology, 2003, 19(7): 985.
[33]	张兆杭, 崔少康, 谭志勇, 等. C/C-SiC缎纹编织复合材料孔隙缺陷的建模及其拉伸性能仿真. 复合材料学报, 2020, 37(8): 1969.
[34]	HAN D, YE F, CHENG L, et al. Matrix cracking of 2D SiC/SiC composite characterized by in situ SEM and nano-CT. Ceramics International, 2023, 49(8): 12508.
[35]	LI X, PAN K, ZHANG F, et al. An overview of tensile and shear failure mechanisms of silicon carbide-based ceramic matrix composites. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 2024, 33: 2924.