Fabrication of Ceramic-Metal Composites by Melt Infiltration of Moso-Bamboo-Derived Porous SiC

Copper and 2024 aluminum alloy were melt-infiltrated into porous β-SiC to form SiC/Cu and SiC/Al composites. The porous β-SiC was prepared using Moso bamboo as the bio-template and had structural characteristics of bamboo. The Cu infiltration occurred as low as 1100°C and became significant at 1200°C. After infiltration at 1300°C for 4 h, there was still ~5 % of residual porosity. For the composites with low degree of metal infiltration, the samples fractured like the bamboo-structured porous SiC. For the composites with high degree of infiltration, the sample behaved like monolithic copper. In the infiltration of Al alloy, infiltration occurred at 900°C. Higher Infiltration temperatures would result in significant formation of Al4C3, which gradually decomposed in air.