General Electric Company

Henry Charles McGuigan

William B Hillig

Milivoj Konstantin Brun

Gregory Scot Corman

Daniel Gene Dunn

Reza Sarrafi-Nour

Krishan Lal Luthra

Peter Joel Meschter

Dennis Joseph Coyle

Anteneh Kebbede

Douglas Glenn Decesare

Matthew Harper Hockemeyer

Brian Gregg Feie

Krishnan Balaji Thattai Parthasarathy

William Francis Navojosky

Peter J Merschter

Milivoj Konstantine Brun

A composite component for a gas turbine engine is provided, along with its methods of formation. The composite component includes: an additively printed inner portion defining at least one flowpath feature, and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) outer portion formed on the additively printed inner portion such that the CMC outer portion substantially surrounds the additively printed inner portion. The additively printed inner portion includes SiC; and the CMC outer portion includes a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix (e.g., including SiC) and defines at least one cooling cavity fluidly coupled to the at least one flowpath feature of the additively printed inner portion.

Composite component having an additively printed inner portion

Methods for manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component are provided. The method may include building a plurality of successive layers of the ceramic component through a selective solidification of a composite feedstock comprising a plurality of composite granules and densifying the ceramic component through infiltration with silicon. Each of the plurality of composite granules comprises one or more silicon carbide particles and one or more carbon particles. Composite feedstocks are also provided, which may include a plurality of composite granules with each of the plurality of composite granules comprises one or more silicon carbide particles and one or more carbon particles.

Granulated feedstock for additively manufacturing ceramic components

Methods for preparing ceramic matrix composites using melt infiltration are provided as well as the resulting ceramic matrix composites. The methods and products include the incorporation of a non-wetting coating to one or more sacrificial fibers. The one or more sacrificial fibers are removed, such as decomposed during pyrolysis, resulting in the formation of a plurality of functional features, in the form of regular and elongate channels along the ceramic matrix composite. During the removing of the one or more sacrificial fibers, the non-wetting coating remains on an interior surface of the plurality of functional features to block infiltration of an infiltrant to the plurality of functional features and deposition thereon. Alternatively, the sacrificial fibers may be removed subsequent to melt infiltration.

Methods of forming ceramic matrix composites using sacrificial fibers and non-wetting coating

Systems and methods for manufacturing unidirectional fiber prepreg tapes for CMC articles are provided. In one exemplary aspect, the method includes casting a matrix material on a carrier film to form a matrix film. The matrix material of the matrix film is then allowed to dry for a predetermined time. The matrix film is then wrapped on a drum and the matrix material is wet to a predetermined viscosity with a solvent. Thereafter, a fiber tow that includes of a plurality of fibers is wound about the drum so that the fiber tow penetrates into the matrix material and the matrix material impregnates the fiber tow to form the prepreg tape.

Systems and methods for manufacturing prepreg tapes

A CMC article and process for producing the article to have a layer on its surface that protects a reinforcement material within the article from damage. The method entails providing a body containing a ceramic reinforcement material in a matrix material that contains a precursor of a ceramic matrix material. A fraction of the reinforcement material is present and possibly exposed at a surface of the body. The body surface is then provided with a surface layer formed of a slurry containing a particulate material but lacking the reinforcement material of the body. The body and surface layer are heated to form the article by converting the precursor within the body to form the ceramic matrix material in which the reinforcement material is contained, and by converting the surface layer to form the protective layer that covers any fraction of the reinforcement material exposed at the body surface.

Process of producing a ceramic matrix composite article and article formed thereby

A method for repairing an article made of a fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite comprises attaching sections of a fiber-reinforced tape to the damaged area and then infiltrating the sections with the ceramic matrix or ceramic matrix precursor material. The material around the damaged area may be removed first to form a depression that is then filled with sections of the fiber-reinforced tape and further infiltrated with the ceramic matrix or ceramic matrix precursor material. The repaired article shows stress-strain curve similar to a defect-free article.

Method for repairing articles of ceramic composites

A method for producing shaped articles of ceramic composites provides a high degree of dimensional tolerance to these articles. A fiber preform is disposed on a surface of a stable formed support, a surface of which is formed with a plurality of indentations, such as grooves, slots, or channels. Precursors of ceramic matrix materials are provided to the fiber preform to infiltrate from both sides of the fiber preform. The infiltration is conducted under vacuum at a temperature not much greater than a melting point of the precursors. The melt-infiltrated composite article substantially retains its dimension and shape throughout the fabrication process.

Method for producing melt-infiltrated ceramic composites using formed supports

A method for forming a porous carbonaceous preform comprises, forming a mixture comprised of up to about 50 volume percent of furfuryl alcohol or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, about 1 to 10 volume percent of a nonionic polyethylene oxide polymer ranging in molecular weight from about 100,000 to 5,000,000, about 30 to 80 volume percent of a carbonaceous material, and the balance water. The mixture is cast to form a body, and heated to decompose the polymer and form the porous preform. A molding composition for carbonaceous material comprises, up to about 50 volume percent of furfuryl alcohol or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, about 1 to 10 volume percent of a nonionic polyethylene oxide polymer ranging in molecular weight from about 100,000 to 5,000,000, about 30 to 80 volume percent of the carbonaceous material, and the balance water.

Method of forming a porous carbonaceous preform from water-based slurry

A method for forming a porous carbonaceous preform includes forming a mixture comprised of up to about 50 volume percent of furfuryl alcohol or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, about 1 to 10 volume percent of a nonionic polyethylene oxide polymer ranging in molecular weight from about 100,000 to 5,000,000, about 30 to 80 volume percent of a carbonaceous material, and the balance water. The mixture is cast to form a body, and heated to decompose the polymer and form the porous preform. A molding composition for carbonaceous material includes, up to about 50 volume percent of furfuryl alcohol or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, about 1 to 10 volume percent of a nonionic polyethylene oxide polymer ranging in molecular weight from about 100,000 to 5,000,000, about 30 to 80 volume percent of the carbonaceous material, and the balance water.

Method of forming a porous carbonaceous preform from a water-based slurry

A fiber- and filament-containing ceramic preform comprised of a mixture of discontinuous fibers and particulates surrounding a layer of continuous filaments extending substantially through the mixture is produced and infiltrated with a molten ceramic to produce a composite.

Fiber- and filament-containing ceramic preform and composite

A process for producing a moldable ceramic mass which comprises preparing a suspension of ceramic material in a liquid vehicle, said ceramic material being comprised of a mixture of fibers and particulates of a ceramic selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, beryllium oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, titanium carbide, titanium diboride, zirconium carbide and zirconium diboride wherein the volume ratio of fibers to particulates ranges from about 1:5 to about 1:1, said ceramic material being present in an amount greater than about 4% by volume of the suspension, said fibers being present in an amount greater than about 2% by volume of the suspension, and removing a portion of the liquid vehicle in an amount sufficient to produce a moldable mass.

Moldable fiber-containing ceramic mass

A fiber- and filament-containing ceramic preform comprises of a mixture of discontinuous fibers and particulates surrounding a layer of continuous filaments extending substantially through the mixture is procduced and infiltrated with a molten ceramic to produce a composite.

Method of forming fiber- and filament-containing ceramic preform and

A process for producing a slip cast ceramic body which comprises preparing a slip comprised of a suspension of ceramic material in a liquid vehicle, said ceramic material being comprised of a mixture of whiskers and particulates wherein the volume ratio of whiskers to particulates ranges from about 1:5 to about 1:1, said ceramic material being present in an amount greater than 4% by volume of the slip, said whiskers being present in an amount greater than about 2% by volume of said slip, and casting the slip in a porous mold.

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Duanesburg, NY, United States of America

Henry Charles McGuigan