INORGANIC FIBERS FOR COMPOSITE-MATERIALS

Inorganic fibres represent the greatest volume of reinforcements used in composites if it is remembered that glass fibres fall into this category. If these latter fibres are not considered, those fibres which remain must represent one of the smallest volume of reinforcements but they are of enormous scientific interest and they open up the possibility of producing composites for long-term use in air at very high temperatures. These fibres include those produced by CVD on to cores as well as much smaller diameter fibres made by the sintering or pyrolysis of precursor fibres. The behaviour of these fibres at high temperature is limited by structural modifications which must be understood if a new generation of ceramic fibres is to emerge with improved temperature stability.