The thermal conductivity of carbon coated silicon carbide fibers embedded in a silicon carbide matrix

The room temperature thermal conductivity has been measured for a series of composite materials composed of carbon coated silicon carbide (SiC) fibers embedded in a SiC matrix. The composite samples consisted of 0/30{degree} bi-directional plain weave Nicalon fibers coated with varying thicknesses of pyrolitic carbon and infiltrated with SiC by the forced flow chemical vapor infiltration process to form the matrix. The fiber volume fraction was held constant at 0.423 {plus_minus} 0.012 and the from 0.03 {mu}m to 0.983 {mu}m, with the fibers of one sample left uncoated. Results transverse to fiber direction show significant differences with the introduction and subsequent increase in the carbon coating thickness. The thermal conductivity decreased for all the coated samples compared to the uncoated sample coating thickness compared to the sample with the thinnest carbon coating.