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Probing the local creep mechanisms of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites with high-temperature nanoindentation

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  • Focus Issue: Advanced Nanomechanical Testing
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Abstract

Here, we probed the local creep response of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites via high-temperature indentation to examine the contributions of heterogeneous microstructure to creep. Indentations were conducted up to 800 °C on single and polycrystalline Si and SiC, reaction-bonded SiC, and the SiC/SiC composite, which indicated higher creep strain rates of polycrystalline materials yet uncovered comparably lower strain rates of the SiC/SiC composite. Indentation creep rate was observed to be highly dependent on contact stresses. An analytical creep model was presented based on a rule of mixtures approach to incorporate material heterogeneity of the SiC/SiC composite. A finite element model was applied to predict the indentation deformation zone, in which the composite constituents would jointly influence the creep response. The analytical model was then solved for temperatures up to 800 °C and exhibited good agreement with experimental measurements.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Rolls-Royce Corporation for providing funding for this research. Silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite specimens were provided by Rolls-Royce for the purposes of this study.

Funding

Co-authors Jason D. Baker and Andrew J. Ritchey are employees of Rolls-Royce Corporation, which provided funding and materials for this research. All work and analyses were conducted independently by the University of Virginia. Co-authors Baker and Ritchey contributed to the editing of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, 122 Engineer’s Way, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA

    Clifton H. Bumgardner & Xiaodong Li

  2. Rolls-Royce Corporation, 450 S. Meridian, St. Indianapolis, IN, 46225, USA

    Jason D. Baker

  3. Rolls-Royce Corporation High Temperature Composites, 5730 Katella Ave, Cypress, CA, 90630, USA

    Andrew J. Ritchey

Authors
  1. Clifton H. Bumgardner
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  2. Jason D. Baker
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  3. Andrew J. Ritchey
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  4. Xiaodong Li
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Contributions

CHB involved in formal analysis, methodology, investigation, and writing. JDB contributed to resources and reviewing/editing. AJR performed project administration, supervision, resources, funding acquisition, and reviewing/editing. XL did project administration, supervision, and reviewing/editing.

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Correspondence to Xiaodong Li.

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Bumgardner, C.H., Baker, J.D., Ritchey, A.J. et al. Probing the local creep mechanisms of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites with high-temperature nanoindentation. Journal of Materials Research 36, 2420–2433 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-021-00128-2

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