Three-dimensional additive fabric reinforced SiC–diamond composite

Three-dimensional additive fabric reinforced SiC–diamond composite

Three-dimensional additive fabric reinforced SiC–diamond composite will be the next big thing

The process includes: (i) fiber pretreatment, wherein carbon or SiC fiber bundles are heat-treated at 800–1200 °C in vacuum or inert gas and woven into a 3D fabric with a hollow central axis; (ii) preparation of an electrophoretic suspension containing diamond powder (0.5–20 µm, 10–20 g/L), anhydrous ethanol, and metal salts; and (iii) post-treatment, including electrophoretic deposition on the fabric under ultrasonic vibration, heat treatment at 80–120 °C, chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of pyrolytic carbon, vacuum impregnation with silica sol under 2–5 MPa, and high-temperature carbothermal reduction of nano-SiO₂ with pyrolytic carbon at 1400–1600 °C in inert atmosphere. Steps are repeated 3–5 times to obtain a dense SiC bonding phase. This method ensures uniform powder deposition, homogeneous CVI-derived carbon, and dense in-situ formed SiC, thereby significantly improving the composite’s density and mechanical performance. 

The resulting 3D fabric reinforced SiC–diamond composite exhibits enhanced flexural strength, fracture toughness, and service life, making it highly suitable as an advanced electronic packaging and heat sink material.