Prototype reactor for scale-up of Si-N-O fibre production

A mat of amorphous silicon oxynitride (Si-N-0) can be grown at 1723 K under flowing ammonia on a precursor powder mixture consisting of fine silica, silicon carbide and titanium particles spread on a SiC substrate plate. Single fibers sampled from the mat surface were found to possess outstanding high- performance properties with respect to chemical, mechanical as well as structural stability. The fibers are therefore promising candidates for use as reinforcement in CMC's for high-temperature applications. In the laboratory reactor, however, the production rate is a mere 3 g of fibers per batch run. In order to allow the manufacture of preforms and test bodies, an increase in the production rate to 50g of fibers per batch run was desired. This aim has been achieved by the scale-up of the laboratory furnace to a high-temperature prototype reactor.