Silicon Carbide Matrix with Onion-Skin Coke Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceramic materials, such as silicon carbide, are brittle under mechanical and thermal loads, limiting their application due to high fiber costs and complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A material comprising a silicon carbide matrix with onion-skin-like spherical to ellipsoidal coke reinforcing elements, which are inert or pretreated for protection, is developed, allowing for improved fracture toughness and reduced costs through the use of mass shaping processes like injection molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If ceramic materials are used to achieve high strength and stiffness, then mechanical performance is improved, but brittleness increases under mechanical and thermal stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material structure combining silicon carbide matrix with coke reinforcing elements. The coke particles provide toughness while the silicon carbide matrix provides strength and stiffness, creating a composite that overcomes the brittleness issue of pure ceramic materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates reinforcing elements with specific local properties (coke particles with particular size distribution and morphology) into the matrix to improve fracture toughness without compromising the overall strength and stiffness characteristics of the ceramic material.
2Reliability
If fiber-reinforced ceramic materials are used to improve impact strength, then fracture toughness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex fiber reinforcement systems with more economical coke particles that can be incorporated into the matrix through simpler processing methods, reducing both material costs and manufacturing complexity while maintaining improved impact strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the reinforcement approach from fibers to particulate coke with specific size and morphology parameters, enabling the use of mass forming processes like injection molding and slip casting that simplify manufacturing while maintaining the desired mechanical properties.
3Strength
If traditional ceramic materials are used, then high hardness and chemical resistance are achieved, but ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains the high hardness and chemical resistance of silicon carbide in the matrix while incorporating coke particles that provide toughness. The local presence of coke particles does not compromise the matrix properties, allowing the material to retain its hardness and chemical resistance while being easier to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure allows the silicon carbide matrix to provide hardness and chemical resistance while the coke particles provide toughness and manufacturability. The combination enables mass forming processes to be used without sacrificing the inherent properties of the ceramic matrix.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The material achieves high strength, rigidity, and fracture toughness while reducing raw material costs and simplifying production, making it suitable for various industrial applications, including friction and abrasion protection, and bone replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a) Incorporating the reinforcing element into a matrix, wherein the matrix comprises silicon carbide
Implementation Method 2
The matrix material and the reinforcing element material can be selected to be inert to each other
Implementation Method 3
Alternatively, the reinforcing element can be pretreated with a substance that acts as a protective coating against the matrix
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a material comprising a matrix (3, 23) and at least one reinforcing element (5, 25) incorporated therein, wherein the matrix (3, 23) is selected from the group consisting of plastic, carbon, ceramic, glass, clay, metal and combinations thereof, and the reinforcing element (5, 25) has a spherical to ellipsoidal shape and an onion-skin-like structure. The present invention further relates to a method for producing a material comprising the steps a) providing at least one reinforcing element (5, 25) of a spherical to ellipsoidal shape, which has an onion-skin-like structure, and b) incorporating the reinforcing element (5, 25) into a matrix (3, 23), wherein the matrix (3, 23) is selected from the group consisting of plastic, carbon, ceramic, glass, clay, metal and combinations thereof.Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the material as a friction application, abrasion protection, injection molded part, carrier plate, catalyst carrier or bone replacement material.