Oxide fiber composite materials for high-temperature applications 

Power engineering targets higher efficiency combined with lowering emissions. That spells out an increase in hot-gas temperatures and reduction in cooling. Oxideceramic fiber composite materials are a promising material type for making components more temperature-resistant. 

One route for reaching this target is coming up with new ceramic materials that combine a high damage tolerance, high mechanical stability up to 1,500 °C (creep characteristics) and sufficient chemical stability under hot-gas conditions. 

Fraunhofer IKTS, ISC and IWM have been doing lead research to come up with oxide fiber composite materials from commercial oxide long-fibers with a very high potential. 

Tubular demonstrator recrystallized from fiber bundles (commercial manufacturer) Al2O3, Ø 40 mm x 70 mm (© Fraunhofer IKTS)

The basic idea for developing these materials was a new type of interface design with strong fiber-matrix bonding for augmented creep resistance (a large proportion of monocrystal fibers resistant to creep made by controlled recrystallization) and major tolerance to damage with a fiber/matrix interface that can relax in the microrange.