Alumina-Silicon Carbide Composites from Coated Powders [Thesis]

Previous technology for alumina coating of silicon carbide whiskers was applied to silicon carbide platelets. Process parameters were developed to ensure successful coating of platelets and to produce composites of varying final platelet volume fractions. Coated whisker composites were hot pressed to near full density or pressureless sintered to closed porosity despite high whisker loading. In some cases, pressureless sintering resulted in near full density with high (30 volume percent) whisker loading. Coated platelet composites were hot pressed to near full density and pressureless sintered to closed porosity with high loading (35 vol %). Mechanical properties of these composites were evaluated, including fracture toughness and bend strength.