Computational Characterization of Microwave Processing of SiCf/SiC Composites

Strong demand from the aerospace industry for composite materials with advanced properties promotes further developments of the related innovative manufacturing technologies. Chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) supported by microwave processing is one of the techniques of composites’ production that have shown its legitimate potential for being faster and more energy-efficient than the conventional CVI. In this paper, we discuss the results of computer modeling that aim to break down the complex phenomenon of microwave enhanced CVI into multiple components to help interpret some experimental observations. Patterns of time evolution of temperature fields induced at different frequencies within the operational range of 2.4-2.5 GHz explain variation of the heating rate under constant input power. Keywords—ceramic matrix composites, heating rate, microwave heating, multiphysics simulation, temperature evolution