In situ observation of polymer impregnation pyrolysis (PIP) manufacture of SiC ceramic composites

Ceramic matrix composites are promising ultra high temperature materials because the fibres can increase the toughness over monolithic ceramics. These are needed to reduce our carbon footprint in the aeroengine and energy sectors. However current manufacturing methods are very laborious or expensive or both. Polymer Impregnation and Pyrolysis (PIP) for example can require as many as 20 impregnation and pyrolysis cycles to get a sufficiently dense matrix. Here we want to study the pyrolysis (at 1100 °C) and densification step (at 1500oC) in real-time for the first time so that we can optimise our novel nanoparticle enhanced PIP method