Fine silicon carbide fiber synthesized from a silicon-based polymer blend using radiation curing

Idesaki, Akira; Sugimoto, Masaki; Tanaka, Shigeru; Morita, Yosuke; Narisawa, Masaki*; Okamura, Kiyohito*; Ito, Masayoshi*

Silicon carbide (SiC) fiber, which is one of the likeliest candidates as a reinforcement fiber of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), is synthesized from polycarbosilane (PCS). The diameter of thus SiC fibers is 10-15 m. In order to fabricate CMCs with 3-dimensional complex shapes, it is important to develop a SiC fiber with diameter of less than 10 m, flexibility, and high strength. In order to improve the spinnability of precursor polymer, we have blended polyvinylsilane (PVS), which is a liquid polymer at room temperature, to PCS as a spinning additive. According to relationship between temperature and melt viscosity of the polymer blend, it was found that the polymer can be melt-spun at about 490K, 110K lower than PCS (about 600K), and that the spinnability of the polymer is improved by blending PVS. Fine polymer fiber was obtained from the polymer blend, and finally, very fine SiC fiber with the average diameter of 6 m was synthesized from the PCS-PVS polymer blend.