Fabrication and mechanical properties of oriented SiC short-fiber-reinforced SiC composite by tape casting

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC composites with nearly unidirectionally and randomly aligned SiC short fiber were prepared by tape-casting and hot-pressing (HP). Volume fractions of fibers were 10 and 20 vol.%. Three-point bending test was carried out at room temperature. The SiC short-fiber-reinforced SiC composites showed completely brittle fracture for any fiber volume fraction and orientation. The maximum strength increased with increasing sintering temperature regardless of orientation of short fiber. In the unidirectionally and randomly aligned composites sintered at 1700 °C containing 20 vol.% fiber, the maximum bending strength was about 390 and 280 MPa, respectively.