Oxidation Driven Damage on SiC/BN/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Aero-Engine Structures: An Iterative Computational Framework

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) could be a game changer in the aero-engine industry. Their density is circa one-third of their metallic counterpart. CMCs, furthermore, offer increased strength and greater capability at very high temperatures. This would allow for a reduction in cooling and an increased engine performance. Some challenges, besides the complexity of the manufacturing process, however, remain for the structural integrity of this technology. CMCs are inherently brittle; furthermore, they tend to oxidise when attacked by water or oxygen, and their constituents become brittle and more prone to failure. There are two main points of novelty proposed by this work. The first one is to model and reproduce recent oxidation experimental data with a simple Fick’s law implemented in Abaqus. The parameters of this modelling are a powerful tool for the design of such material systems. The second aspect consists in the development of a new computational framework for iteratively calculating oxygen diffusion and stiffness degradation of the material. Oxidation and stiffness degradation are in fact coupled phenomena. The crack (or microcracking) opening, the function of applied stress, accelerates oxygen diffusion whilst the oxidation diffusion itself contributes to embrittlement and then damage introduction in the material system.