Co-pyrolysis process for forming carbonized composite bodies

Claim 1

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating an organic fibrous precursor by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature range of 260°-315° C.; impregnating the fibrous precursor with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; composing an assemblage of the resinous binder impregnated fibrous precursor cut to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 165° C. over a rise time of about one hour and a holding time of about one hour at a pressure range of 15-80 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a heating cycle of 72-336 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 2

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating an organic fibrous precursor by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature range of 260°-315° C.; impregnating the fibrous precursor with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; composing an assemblage of the resinous binder impregnated fibrous precursor cut to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 165° C. over a rise time of about one hour and a holding time of about one hour at a pressure range of 15-80 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a heating cycle of 72-336 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 6

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating woven cloth of organic fibrous material by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature range of 260°-315° C.; impregnating the fibrous material with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; composing one upon another a plurality of plies of the resinous binder impregnated fibrous material cut to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 165° C. over a rise time of about one hour and a holding time of about one hour at a pressure range of 15-80 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a heating cycle of 72-336 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of the heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 7

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating woven cloth of organic fibrous material by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature range of 260°-315° C.; impregnating the fibrous material with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; composing one upon another a plurality of plies of the resinous binder impregnated fibrous material cut to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 165° C. over a rise time of about one hour and a holding time of about one hour at a pressure range of 15-80 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a heating cycle of 72-336 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of the heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 9

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating organic fibrous material by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature of 260°-315° C.; composing a layered mat of the fibrous material shaped to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; impregnating the composite layup with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 180° C. over a rise time range of 40-140 minutes at a pressure range of 200-1000 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a healing cycle of 72-382 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of the heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 10

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating organic fibrous material by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature of 260°-315° C.; composing a layered mat of the fibrous material shaped to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; impregnating the composite layup with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 180° C. over a rise time range of 40-140 minutes at a pressure range of 200-1000 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a healing cycle of 72-382 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of the heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 12

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating elongated bodies of unidirectional organic fibrous material by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature range of 260°-315° C.; impregnating the fibrous material with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; composing one upon another a plurality of plies of the resinous binder impregnated, parallel oriented fibrous material cut to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 165° C. over a rise time of about one hour and a holding time of about one hour at a pressure range of 15-80 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a heating cycle of 72 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of the heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.

Claim 13

A method for forming structural carbon-carbon composites, which comprises: pretreating elongated bodies of unidirectional organic fibrous material by exposure for about three hours to an oxidizing atmosphere maintained at a temperature range of 260°-315° C.; impregnating the fibrous material with a matrix-forming resinous binder admixed with a solvent material; composing one upon another a plurality of plies of the resinous binder impregnated, parallel oriented fibrous material cut to form a composite layup of predetermined configuration; subjecting the composite layup to a curing temperature and molding pressure cycle of about 165° C. over a rise time of about one hour and a holding time of about one hour at a pressure range of 15-80 psi to form a cured laminate; pyrolyzing the cured laminate in a pyrolization furnace by gradually raising the furnace temperature to about 815° C. over a heating cycle of 72 hours to form a pyrolyzed laminate; and heat treating the pyrolyzed laminate over a heating cycle of about 14 hours to a temperature of about 2000° C. and maintaining such temperature for about two additional hours followed by a gradual cooling of the heat treated laminate to ambient temperature.