Carbon-carbon composites and related methods of fabricating three-dimensional carbon-carbon composites using closed tool multiple infusion resin transfer molding processes

Abstract

The invention relates to three-dimensional carbon-carbon composites for use in high temperature applications, such as aerospace structures. The invention further relates to methods and related compositions for making a three-dimensional carbon-carbon composite. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a method to densify geometrically complex three-dimensional woven carbon fiber preforms into high density carbon-carbon composites at faster rates and lower cost than traditional processing approaches using, e.g., multiple resin transfer moldings (RTM) of a three-dimensional woven preform, or of a partially dense carbon-carbon intermediate, in a closed tool volume using high pressure piston injectors, followed by carbonization and graphitization of the resulting composite.