High Temperature Composites for Aerospace Applications and Their (Select) Production Technologies

This chapter concerns the fabrication and characterization of selected high temperature composites for structural applications in aerospace and defence. The DMSRDE, a Division Laboratory of DRDO, India, aims to develop high performance composites (C/SiC and ZrB2/SiC) via different routes like Reactive Melt Infiltration (RMI), Chemical Vapour Infiltration (CVI), Polymer Infiltration and Pyrolysis (PIP), and hot pressing (HP). The research and development work undertaken and achievements made in the area of C/SiC and ZrB2/SiC composites are covered in detail. Different aspects of these composites, e.g. starting materials, processing methods, and characterization techniques are discussed. A few products and prototypes made from C/SiC and ZrB2/SiC composites are briefly described to demonstrate their potential applications.