Ceramic reinforcement material

Abstract

The present invention provides a ceramic reinforcement material with a weak interface. The reinforcement material of the present invention contains several ceramic layers, wherein those ceramic layers can be a ceramic layer, a metal layer or a polymer layer. The present invention utilizes the bonding weakness of a middle layer or in between a middle layer and the ceramic layer to create a weak interface in the ceramic reinforcement material. The reinforcement with the weak interface can be added into other materials to improve their toughness.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to a ceramic reinforcement material comprising a weak interface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a weak interface or a weak interface material of mechanic weakness covered with reinforcement material. [0003] 2. Description of the related Art [0004] The toughness of the ceramic material is normally very low, and its utilization is not popular in the industries. The main focus of the ceramic industry is always on how to improve the toughness of the ceramic material. [0005] In order to improve the toughness of the ceramic material, the most common method is to add reinforcement material into the ceramic material. The ceramic reinforcement material can be whisker, ceramic fiber, ceramic particulates or ceramic platelet. Those reinforcement materials are very fine and dense material that comprise high degree of strength and hardness. For example, the silicon carbide...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a ceramic reinforcement material with a weak interface. The weak interface of the ceramic reinforcement material can deflect a crack spread in the matrix, and it also can be added to a brittle matrix in order to improve toughness of the matrix.

[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide a ceramic reinforcement material that its function is not affected by its formation of a strong interface with a brittle matrix. The utilization of the ceramic reinforcement material of the present invention can be utilized in various areas without limiting by its fabricating process or the materials used. Thus, the manufacturing costs can be reduced.

Problems solved by technology

The toughness of the ceramic material is normally very low, and its utilization is not popular in the industries.

However, the existing property of the weak interface also restricts the utilization of the ceramic material.

Therefore, in order to fabricate a weak interface, the utilization of reinforcement materials is restricted.

Any reinforcement material that would react or sinter with the matrix cannot be used.

The silicon carbide platelet, for example, is not suitable for using in the glass matrix as a result of a melting reaction between the silicon carbide and the glass.

Thus, silicon carbide platelet cannot be used as a reinforcement material in most glasses.

Any slight chemical reaction will result in the toughness being decreased drastically.

The current limitations of the ceramic material in the market are such, the cost of the ceramic material is very high, the addition of the ceramic reinforcement material, the cost of fabrication is also increased, and the reinforcement materials are very limited, only few reinforcement materials are available.

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