A COMPARATIVE OVERVIEW OF MOLYBDENUM DISILICIDE COMPOSITES

MoSi2-based composites possess significant potential to meet the demands of advanced high temperature structural applications in the range 1200-1600-degrees-C, in oxidizing and aggressive environments. These materials constitute and important new class of "high temperature structural silicides". The intermetallic compound MoSi2 possesses properties which make it a very desirable matrix for high temperature composites, and these properties are described and compared with those of other high melting point silicides. The developmental history of composites based on MoSi2 is traced from its beginnings to the present. Mechanical property improvements derived from SiC and ZrO2 reinforcements, as well as matrix alloying, are described, and properties of current MoSi2-based composites compared with those of silicon-based structural ceramics. Finally, important research and development directions for the continued improvement of MoSi2-based composites and their use as high temperature structural components are discussed.