(refs) These properties have made silicon carbide fiber the choice for hot section components in the next generation of gas turbines, e.g. the LEAP engine[3] from GE (General Electric).
[5][6] The one with the longest historical experience, invented in 1975 and called the Yajima process,[7] uses a pre-ceramic liquid polymer that is injected through a spinneret to produce solidified green (unfired) fibers that go through a series of processing steps, including significant time in high temperature furnaces to convert the polymer to the desired SiC chemistry.
Developed by Textron[1] (now Specialty Materials Inc located in Massachusetts[8]) over 40 years ago, the silicon carbide deposit resulting from the gas-phase CVD reaction builds up on a carbon core with a columnar microstructure.
[12] Silicon carbide (SiC) fibers are used in aerospace, automotive, and defense for high-strength, heat-resistant components like engine parts and armor.
[13] They reinforce composites in turbines and nuclear reactors, improve medical devices, and enhance electronics with superior thermal conductivity.