Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Alex Pawlowski

 

MSE 652 High Performance Fibers

24 November 2015

 

slides.com/alexpawlowski/c-c-piston/live

 

Overview

  • Motivation
  • Problem of Interest
  • Review of Literature
  • Steps Forward

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Motivation

 
  • Regulatory push to decrease oil use mandates 54.5 mpg by 2025
  • Concurrent safety push and size growth of vehicles 
    complicates ability to
    lightweight with
    current materials
  • Recent Combustion
    environments push 
    boundaries of
    engineered materials
 

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Problem

 
  • In 2000, Cosworth pursued a C-C piston concept to assess:
    • emissions
    • volumetric efficiency
    • detonation sensitivity
  • results
    • able to increase operating temperature --> potential fe gain
    • poor porosity
      • absorbed / desorbed HC
 

Emissions and Performance of a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Carbon Piston SAE 2000-01-1946

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Review

  • C-C composites are layup of C fiber meshed with C fiber precursor (typically PAN) that has been graphitized to produce a near net shape
  • large strength-to-weight ratio
  • great retention of strength at high temperatures
2
  • begin to oxidize above 500°C
  • ceramic coatings ('90s) provided protection, but CTE mismatch cause crackings
2

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Advances in porosity control

Authors, years Scope Matrix Details Coating Key Findings
Seabrook & Fry, 2000 Engine Piston Needled felt (arranged in the piston axis direction) crown stitched to needled felt (radial direction) skirt AE 072 polymeric coating applied to the skirt and bronze bushes fitted to the pin holes – assist the porous matrix to support an oil film in critical highly loaded regions Matrix erosion along top surface, heavy porosity
Delamination around the crown
Porous matrix led to fuel absorption / desorption
Y. Wang et al., 2012, Y. Wang et al., 2012a Coating performance HfC Strong ablation resistance of C matrix. HfO2 oxide formation (under ablation) protects C matrix from oxidation and erosion
Zeng et al., 2012 Coating performance Zr-Ti ZrO2 formation under ablation led to preferential bonding over C matrix to C fiber, causing delamination to happen over cycles
Snell, Nelson, & Molian, 2001 Laser-induced coating deposition (LICD) Si3N4 and IrCl3 Chlorine compounds formed during LICD process “poison” active sites of C (where H bonds are present) where Oxygen attack occurs. Oxygen still penetrates at sufficient rates to be detrimental, proving harder to oxidation.
Smeacetto, Salvo, & Ferraris, 2002 Oxidation protective multi-layer β-SiC CVD
1st : SABB +
2nd: SABB + 
Coating protected C-C composite for 100h up to 1200​°C and for 150h at 1300​°C
B_4C
B4CB_4C
Y_2O_3
Y2O3Y_2O_3

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

Steps Forward

 
  • Advanced combustion technologies to address fuel economy targets require more from engine materials
    • increased willingness to pay by automakers for mpg
  • Steps to use CFRP of low thermal areas has already begun
  • C-C use in high-performance brakes continues to trickle into high performance auto market and costs are lowering
  • HfC coatings and multilayer SABB could be key paths forward to C-C composite use pending cost add
 

Review of techniques to decrease porosity in C-C composites

 

A focus in combustion applications

c-c-composite-piston

By Alex Pawlowski

c-c-composite-piston

MSE 652 High Performance Fibers UTK

  • 840