Preparation and mechanical properties of C/SiC composites with carbon fiber woven preform

C/SiC composites reinforced with multilayer carbon fiber woven preforms were fabricated by isothermal chemical vapor infiltration (ICVI) process. To characterize the mechanical properties of the composites, mechanical testing was carried out under various loading conditions, including tension, bending and shear loads. The results indicated that the composites, with superior intrinsic through-the-thickness properties, exhibited high in-plane mechanical properties. Therefore, the composites developed can well meet the demands of the reusable nose cap, i.e. the easiness of near-net shaping and the capability of withstanding multidirectional mechanical and thermal stresses.