An integrated assembly method of sandwich structured ceramic matrix composites

Sandwich structured composites have been widely studied and applied at ambient temperature in aeronautical, automobile and naval applications. For high temperature applications, an integrated ceramic sandwich structure could take advantage of multiple functions such as skin stiffness and core insulation. For thermo-structural applications, skins must be made of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) because of their strength, their resistance to high temperatures (beyond 1000 °C), and their low densities. Concerning foam cores, some carbides (e.g. SiC) are, for their outstanding thermo-mechanical properties, the most appropriate. These foams can withstand long oxidative exposing conditions with low material degradation. This paper presents an assembly method of SiC based sandwich structured CMC. It is performed during sandwich manufacturing in an integrated fashion and allows the production of complex shapes at low costs. Produced flat sandwich panels, characterized by three point bending tests, showed a marked toughening behaviour.