Abstract: A system for coating ceramic fibers for use in manufacturing a ceramic matric composite (CMC) article includes a frame having a plurality of frame members arranged so as to create a void therebetween. At least one of frame members includes a hollow body and at least one perforated hole defined in the hollow body. Thus, the ceramic fibers are securable at respective ends of the frame and extend across the void. The frame also includes an inlet in fluid communication with the perforated hole(s) so as to allow a coating material to flow into and through the hollow body and out of the perforated hole(s) at a location of at least a portion of one of the ceramic fibers. As such, the coating material is configured to cause the portion of one of the ceramic fibers to separate from the frame such that the portion is uniformly coated with the coating material.

Abstract: A method for repairing composite components includes positioning one or more repair fiber plies relative to a repair interface of a composite component such that a butt joint is formed at the repair interface between the one or more repair fiber plies and the composite component. Furthermore, the method includes forming a cavity within the composite component such that the cavity extends through the repair interface. Additionally, the method includes installing a support member within the cavity. In this respect, the support member extends across the butt joint such that a first portion of the support member is positioned within the composite component and a second portion of the support member is positioned within the one or more repair fiber plies.

Abstract: Systems and methods for thermally processing composite components are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a system includes a thermal system, a mover device, and a control system. The system also includes a plurality of vessels in which one or more components may be placed. The vessels are similarly shaped and configured. A vessel containing the one or more components therein may be mounted into a chamber defined by the thermal system during thermal processing. The thermal system and vessels include features that allow components to be thermally processed, e.g., compacted, burnt-out, and densified via a melt-infiltration process, a polymer impregnation and pyrolyzing process, or a chemical vapor infiltration process. utilizing the same thermal system and common vessel design. The control system may control the thermal system and mover device to automate thermal processing of the composite components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for thermally processing composite components are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a system includes a thermal system, a mover device, and a control system. The system also includes a plurality of vessels in which one or more components may be placed. The vessels are similarly shaped and configured. A vessel containing the one or more components therein may be mounted into a chamber defined by the thermal system during thermal processing. The thermal system and vessels include features that allow components to be thermally processed, e.g., compacted, burnt-out, and densified via a melt-infiltration process, a polymer impregnation and pyrolyzing process, or a chemical vapor infiltration process. utilizing the same thermal system and common vessel design. The control system may control the thermal system and mover device to automate thermal processing of the composite components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for thermally processing composite components are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a system includes a thermal system, a mover device, and a control system. The system also includes a plurality of vessels in which one or more components may be placed. The vessels are similarly shaped and configured. A vessel containing the one or more components therein may be mounted into a chamber defined by the thermal system during thermal processing. The thermal system and vessels include features that allow components to be thermally processed, e.g., compacted, burnt-out, and densified via a melt-infiltration process, a polymer impregnation and pyrolyzing process, or a chemical vapor infiltration process. utilizing the same thermal system and common vessel design. The control system may control the thermal system and mover device to automate thermal processing of the composite components.

Abstract: A method for controlling the porosity parameter of porous thermal barrier coatings is presented. The method includes disposing a feedstock material on a substrate to form a porous thermal barrier coating. The feedstock material includes a gas-forming additive and a thermal barrier coating material. The disposing step further includes controlling the porosity parameter of the porous thermal barrier coating by controlling a feedstock material feed rate, an amount of the gas-forming additive in the feedstock material, a temperature of the disposed feedstock material on the substrate, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Unwinding systems and methods are provided for unwinding a fiber from a bobbin. The unwinding system can include an axle defining a first axis extending an axial direction, a bobbin rotatably mounted around the axle, a pulley positioned to receive the fiber from the bobbin, wherein the pulley is rotatable around a second axis, and a sensor positioned between the bobbin and the pulley. The bobbin is moveable along the axial direction, and wherein the fiber extends tangentially from a surface of the bobbin.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components are provided. The CMC component includes a reinforcement material having a plurality of filaments that are at least partially electrically conductive. The plurality of filaments are charged by a charging element with an electric charge of the same sign such that adjacent filaments are in an expanded spatial relationship relative to one another while being coated. While in the expanded spatial relationship, the filaments can also be pulled through a matrix slurry.

Abstract: Unwinding systems and methods are provided for unwinding a fiber from a bobbin. The unwinding system can include an axle defining a first axis extending an axial direction, a bobbin rotatably mounted around the axle, a pulley positioned to receive the fiber from the bobbin, wherein the pulley is rotatable around a second axis, and a sensor positioned between the bobbin and the pulley. The bobbin is moveable along the axial direction, and wherein the fiber extends tangentially from a surface of the bobbin.

Abstract: Methods for coating a fiber are provided. The method can include unwinding a silicon carbide-containing fibrous material from a bobbin rotatably mounted around an axle and forming a boron nitride coating onto the silicon carbide-containing fibrous material. The bobbin is moved along the axial direction such that the silicon carbide-containing fibrous material defines an unwind angle with the axial direction, with the unwind angle being maintained between about 80° to about 100°.

Abstract: Methods of making an environmental barrier coating (EBC) for a substrate are provided that include providing an EBC feedstock comprising a rare earth element composition, in which a portion of the composition produces a volatile species during an air plasma spray coating process, providing a first additive that comprises or produces the volatile species during the air plasma spray coating process, injecting the EBC feedstock into a plasma spray plume during the air plasma spray coating process; and injecting the first additive into at least one of the plasma spray plume and a plasma torch nozzle during the air plasma spray coating process, in which the EBC has a composition that is substantially similar to the composition of the EBC feedstock. Also provided are processes for air plasma spray coating an EBC onto a substrate.

Abstract: A coating process and coated article are disclosed. The coating process includes positioning an article relative to an inductor, heating the article with the inductor, then applying a coating material over the article to form a crystalline coating. The heating of the article increases a first temperature of a surface of the article to a second temperature favoring crystal formation. Another coating process includes positioning an article, uniformly heating a surface of the article to a second temperature favoring crystal formation, then applying an environmental barrier coating material over the surface of the article to form a crystalline environmental barrier coating. The application of the environmental barrier coating is performed through air plasma spray deposition. The coated article includes an article having a complex geometry, and a crystalline coating applied on a surface of the article. The crystalline coating includes increased resistant to delamination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recovery of rare-earth constituents from environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are provided. One method includes for separating rare-earth (RE) containing constituents from a particulate feedstock containing a mixture of RE silicates and non-magnetic constituents includes disposing a collection member in a vicinity of the feedstock and magnetizing the collection member to generate a magnetic field sufficient to selectively attract the RE silicates to the collection member. The method further includes removing the RE silicates from the collection member.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recovery of rare-earth constituents from environmental barrier coatings are provided. One method includes extracting rare-earth (RE) oxide constituents from a feedstock containing RE silicates and non-RE contaminants. The method includes leaching the REs from the feedstock into an acid to form an acid solution, performing an oxalate precipitation on the acid solution to form an RE oxalate hydrate, and separating the RE oxalate hydrate from the acid solution. The method also includes heat treating the RE oxalate hydrate to form an RE oxide containing the RE elements extracted from the feedstock.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recovery of rare-earth constituents from environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are provided. One method includes for separating rare-earth (RE) containing constituents from a particulate feedstock containing a mixture of RE silicates and non-magnetic constituents includes disposing a collection member in a vicinity of the feedstock and magnetizing the collection member to generate a magnetic field sufficient to selectively attract the RE silicates to the collection member. The method further includes removing the RE silicates from the collection member.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recovery of rare-earth constituents from environmental barrier coatings are provided. One method includes extracting rare-earth (RE) oxide constituents from a feedstock containing RE silicates and non-RE contaminants. The method includes leaching the REs from the feedstock into an acid to form an acid solution, performing an oxalate precipitation on the acid solution to form an RE oxalate hydrate, and separating the RE oxalate hydrate from the acid solution. The method also includes heat treating the RE oxalate hydrate to form an RE oxide containing the RE elements extracted from the feedstock.

Abstract: A coating process and coated article are disclosed. The coating process includes positioning an article relative to an inductor, heating the article with the inductor, then applying a coating material over the article to form a crystalline coating. The heating of the article increases a first temperature of a surface of the article to a second temperature favoring crystal formation. Another coating process includes positioning an article, uniformly heating a surface of the article to a second temperature favoring crystal formation, then applying an environmental barrier coating material over the surface of the article to form a crystalline environmental barrier coating. The application of the environmental barrier coating is performed through air plasma spray deposition. The coated article includes an article having a complex geometry, and a crystalline coating applied on a surface of the article. The crystalline coating includes increased resistant to delamination.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a vacuum coating to a workpiece, including: a coating chamber containing a coating material, with the coating chamber being operable at an elevated temperature and a sub-atmospheric pressure; an electron beam gun projecting an electron beam into the coating chamber and onto the coating material, where the electron beam gun is operable to melt the coating material and to evaporate molten coating material; and, a mechanism for supporting manipulating the workpiece in the coating chamber. The supporting mechanism further includes: a coupling device for retaining the workpiece; a joint connected to the coupling device enabling movement of the workpiece in all directions; an intermediate member connecting the coupling device and the joint; and, a device connected to the intermediate member for moving the workpiece in a designated vertical plane.

Abstract: The present invention provides a coated article made using a plating process, either electroless or electrolytic, whereby nickel is plated on the article using a solution that includes a suspension of powders or containing one or more of the following elements: Ni, Cr, Al, Zr, Hf, Ti, Ta, Si, Ca, Fe, Y and Ga. Optionally, the coating is then heat treated at a temperature above about 1600.degree. F. for an effective amount of time to allow to homogenize the coating by allowing effective interdiffusion between the species. The level of aluminum may be altered to produce a coating of the predominantly beta phase of the NiAl alloy composition. Optionally, a TBC layer is applied over the predominantly beta phase NiAl alloy composition metallic bond coat.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a vacuum coating to a workpiece, including: a coating chamber containing a coating material, with the coating chamber being operable at an elevated temperature and a sub-atmospheric pressure; an electron beam gun projecting an electron beam into the coating chamber and onto the coating material, where the electron beam gun is operable to melt the coating material and to evaporate molten coating material; and, a mechanism for supporting manipulating the workpiece in the coating chamber. The supporting mechanism further includes: a coupling device for retaining the workpiece; a joint connected to the coupling device enabling movement of the workpiece in all directions; an intermediate member connecting the coupling device and the joint; and, a device connected to the intermediate member for moving the workpiece in a designated vertical plane.