A Pre-Stitching Method to Manufacture Z-Pins Reinforced Woven Ceramic Matrix Composite Laminates

Abstract

Z-pins reinforced 2D ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), integratedly designed new materials, are developed to enhance 2D CMCs through-thickness in the form of Z-pins and to ensure significant increase in interlaminar fracture toughness, delamination resistance and impact resistance, and Z-pins reinforced 2D CMCs have much application. A manual pre-stitching method is developed to make holes in the graphite fixture to control Z-pins row spacings and to introduce yarns of 3000 T300 carbon fibers bundle into a preform. Z-pins reinforced woven CMCs for research were manufactured successfully by repeatedly using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) to infiltrate SiC matrix into woven preform and carbon fiber sutures. It is shown that this method of manufactured Z-pins reinforced woven CMC is feasible.