title: Velcro-Inspired SiC Fuzzy Fibers for Aerospace Applications.
abstract: The most recent and innovative silicon carbide (SiC) fiber ceramic matrix composites, used for lightweight high-heat engine parts in aerospace applications, are woven, layered, and then surrounded by a SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC). To further improve both the mechanical properties and thermal and oxidative resistance abilities of this material, SiC nanotubes and nanowires (SiCNT/NWs) are grown on the surface of the SiC fiber via carbon nanotube conversion. This conversion utilizes the shape memory synthesis (SMS) method, starting with carbon nanotube (CNT) growth on the SiC fiber surface, to capitalize on the ease of dense surface morphology optimization and the ability to effectively engineer the CNT-SiC fiber interface to create a secure nanotube-fiber attachment. Then, by converting the CNTs to SiCNT/NWs, the relative morphology, advantageous mechanical properties, and secure connection of the initial CNT-SiC fiber architecture are retained, with the addition of high temperature and oxidation resistance. The resultant SiCNT/NW-SiC fiber can be used inside the SiC ceramic matrix composite for a high-heat turbo engine part with longer fatigue life and higher temperature resistance. The differing sides of the woven SiCNT/NWs act as the "hook and loop" mechanism of Velcro but in much smaller scale.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.|NASA Glenn Research Center , Cleveland, Ohio 44135, United States.
authors.forename: Amelia H C
authors.initials: AHC
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamel
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Peter Samora
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Owuor
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Sehmus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozden
authors.affiliation: Hysitron Inc. , Minneapolis, Minnesota 55344, United States.
authors.forename: Sanjit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhowmick
authors.affiliation: Hysitron Inc. , Minneapolis, Minnesota 55344, United States.
authors.forename: Syed Asif
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Syed Amanulla
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsafack
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Kunttal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keyshar
authors.affiliation: NASA Glenn Research Center , Cleveland, Ohio 44135, United States.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mital
authors.affiliation: NASA Glenn Research Center , Cleveland, Ohio 44135, United States.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vajtai
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Chandra Sekhar
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9760-9768
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tiwary
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and NanoEngineering Department, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
authors.forename: Pulickel M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Ajayan
keywords: aerospace applications; carbon nanotubes; in situ mechanical testing; silicon carbide nanotubes and nanowires; thermal stability