Abstract: A method of making a carbon-carbon composite may comprise forming a Silicon-Aluminum-Oxygen-Nitrogen (SiAlON) precursor suspension and infiltrating a fibrous preform with the SiAlON precursor suspension. A SiAlON forming heating treatment may be performed on the fibrous preform to form SiAlON particles. The fibrous preform may be densified using chemical vapor infiltration to form a densified fibrous preform.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a brake component made from a ceramic matrix composite is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes infiltrating a carbon fabric with a slurry containing a ceramic powder and a sintering aid; laying up the carbon fabric in a desired geometry to form a raw component; warm pressing the raw component to form a green component; and sintering the green component via a spark plasma sintering process to form a sintered component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite component includes pressure casting a fibrous preform with a slurry comprising boron carbide and densifying the fibrous preform using a liquid source of carbon. The method may include forming holes in the fibrous preform before pressure casting the fibrous preform with the slurry. The method may also include sintering the boron carbide after the pressure casting. In various embodiments, the sintering may be performed before the densifying.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite component includes pressure casting a fibrous preform with a slurry comprising boron carbide and densifying the fibrous preform using a liquid source of carbon. The method may include forming holes in the fibrous preform before pressure casting the fibrous preform with the slurry. The method may also include sintering the boron carbide after the pressure casting. In various embodiments, the sintering may be performed before the densifying.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a brake component made from a ceramic matrix composite is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes infiltrating a carbon fabric with a slurry containing a ceramic powder and a sintering aid; laying up the carbon fabric in a desired geometry to form a raw component; warm pressing the raw component to form a green component; and sintering the green component via a spark plasma sintering process to form a sintered component.

Abstract: Systems and methods for weaving helical carbon fabrics with minimum fiber crimp are provided herein. In various embodiments, small denier natural or synthetic yarns are used in the warp direction to interlace the carbon fiber wefts with minimum deformation. Specific weave designs are used in combination with the small denier yarn to maintain the primary carbon fiber weft and warp un-crimped.

Abstract: A positive transport of carbon fiber bundles, in ribbon form, with in-line manipulation of the fiber bundles (spreading or spreading and volumization with manipulators) during fiber bundle transport to points of fiber bundle deliveries into the circular loom bed plate turntable is described herein. The automated placements of these deliveries of the fiber bundle/tow at selected orientations in the area correspond to the feeding zone of an improved circular loom bed plate turntable.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

Abstract: A technique allowing a portion of carbon fiber tow to maintain a rectangular cross sectional shape or to maintain an imparted desired shape, such as a wider shape with a rectangular cross-sectional profile, through a textile loom is disclosed herein.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

Abstract: Loom configurations and methods for efficiently manufacturing unique spiral-shaped fabrics. The loom introducing two weft yarn segments in the form of a continuous loop in each shed may be configured with one or two weft needles and is equipped with a knitting system to form a knitted selvedge along the outside circumference of the fabric. The knitted edge is used as reference to form weft yarn loops of different lengths. The opposite weft yarn loops are permanently secured around selected warp yarns. Alternatively intermediate length weft yarn loops may be created where the extremity of the loop is not bound to any warp yarn. Fiber architectures may be designed and woven which exhibit uniform fiber volume across the width of the fabric. Fiber architectures with greater fiber volume along the outside circumference of the fabric may also be prepared.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

Abstract: Loom configurations and methods for efficiently manufacturing unique spiral-shaped fabrics. The loom introducing two weft yarn segments in the form of a continuous loop in each shed may be configured with one or two weft needles and is equipped with a knitting system to form a knitted selvedge along the outside circumference of the fabric. The knitted edge is used as reference to form weft yarn loops of different lengths. The opposite weft yarn loops are permanently secured around selected warp yarns. Alternatively intermediate length weft yarn loops may be created where the extremity of the loop is not bound to any warp yarn. Fiber architectures may be designed and woven which exhibit uniform fiber volume across the width of the fabric. Fiber architectures with greater fiber volume along the outside circumference of the fabric may also be prepared.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.

Abstract: Systems and methods for weaving helical carbon fabrics with minimum fiber crimp are provided herein. In various embodiments, small denier natural or synthetic yarns are used in the warp direction to interlace the carbon fiber wefts with minimum deformation. Specific weave designs are used in combination with the small denier yarn to maintain the primary carbon fiber weft and warp un-crimped.

Abstract: A circular needle loom comprises a stationary bed plate for receiving a spiral textile. Engagement members may be disposed next to the stationary bed plate, such that the engagement members interface with a positional structure of the spiral textile that is used to position and rotate the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate. A conical roller deploys the spiral textile on the stationary bed plate. The engagement members rotate the spiral textile around the stationary bed plate until a predetermined number of layers are deposited on the stationary bed plate. A spiral textile comprises a weft tow that extends from an inside diameter to an outside diameter, and a positional structure, such as a sacrificial edge and/or loop, is located next to and/or is attached to the weft tow. The positional structure facilitates positioning the spiral textile in a desired manner with respect to the circular needle loom in order to create a needled preform.

Abstract: A coating for a gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a fuel cell or battery. The coating comprises a dispersion of carbon black, a fluoropolymer, and one of graphite and carbon particulates, in which the size of the particulates are substantially larger than the size of the particles of carbon black and provide structural integrity to the coating so as to minimize cracking thereof. The size of the particles of carbon black may lie within the range of approximately 13-95 nm. The carbon particulates may be chopped carbon fibers, carbon or graphite flakes or platelets, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibrils, or carbon whiskers. The carbon particulates may have a high length to diameter ratio.

Abstract: A pitch precursor yarn, which is stretch broken and formed into a fabric or felt which is heat treated into graphitic fiber media for fuel cell gas diffusion layer substrates and high thermal conductivity reinforced composites.