GROWTH CHARACTERS AND MODEL OF PYROLYTIC CARBON IN CHEMICAL VAPOR INFILTRATION PROCESS

Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) processes are the essential techniques for fabrication of high performance carbon-carbon composites. Based on the polarized light and scanning electron analysis, the authors study the micro-morphology and texture characteristics of pyrolytic carbon deposited in CVI process, as well as the growth behavior of pyrolytic carbon. The research shows that Rough Laminar (RL) texture has the hierarchical and self-similar structural features, which reflects the stage-growth and self-similar behavior during the growth course of pyrolytic carbon. According to the two growth features, a laminated growth model of pyrolytic carbon is proposed with the concept of Cone-Growth Units (CGU). The laminated growth model can provide a fine description for the growth course of RL pyrolytic carbon. The model indicates that formation, developing and combination of local high-order structures (such as CGU structures) are the essential factors for the growth of RL texture. Smooth Laminar (SL) texture and ISO carbon come into being with long-range orderliness and isotropy structure respectively, which no local high-orderliness intermediate involves in.