Abstract: Between the start and the end of the chemical vapor infiltration process, filtration conditions are modified by causing at least one of the following infiltration parameters to vary: retention time of the gas, pressure, temperature, concentration of precursor in the gas, and concentration of dopant, if any, in the gas; thereby adapting infiltration conditions to changes in the porometry of the substrate in order to control the microstructure of the material deposited within the substrate, in particular in order to conserve a microstructure that is constant.

Abstract: A composite material protected by oxidation at intermediate temperatures exceeding 850.degree. C. comprises fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix which includes at least one self-healing phase including a glass-precursor component such as B.sub.4 C or an Si--B--C system, together with excess free carbon (C) at a mass percentage lying in the range 10% to 35%. The, or each, self-healing phase can be interposed between two ceramic matrix phases, e.g. of SiC. While the material is exposed to an oxidizing medium, oxidation of the free carbon promotes oxidation of the precursor and transformation thereof into a glass capable of plugging the cracks in the matrix by self-healing.

Abstract: A chemical vapor infiltration method for densifying porous substrates disposed in annular stacks. The substrates to be densified (12) are loaded inside a reaction chamber (11) of an infiltration oven, being disposed in at least one annular stack (30) defining an interior passage (31) with spaces (33) being formed between the substrates. The gas admitted into the reaction chamber is channelled on leaving a preheating zone (18) towards one of the two volumes constituted by the inside and the outside of the, or each, stack of substrates, and preferably towards the smaller volume. This volume (31) is closed at its opposite end so that the gas flows from admission into the chamber to its exhaust from the chamber from the inside to the outside of the, or each, stack, or vice versa, with the gas passing through the spaces between the substrates and diffusing into them.

Abstract: A fiber preform constituting the fiber reinforcement of the part to be made is itself made by shaping and consolidating a fiber fabric by a liquid process. An interphase layer between the fibers and the matrix is formed on the consolidated preform prior to densification thereof with the matrix, such that the operation of densifying the consolidated preform can be performed without requiring supporting tooling therefor.

Abstract: The process is particularly well suited to the manufacture of composite materials, where a fibrous reinforcement texture is to be impregnated by a densifying matrix, and comprises the steps of:preparing a slurry containing a solid charge in the form of finely divided particles dispersed in a carrier liquid, which preferably contains an organic compound,placing a substrate inside an enclosure,creating a vacuum inside the enclosure, andcausing the slurry to pass through the substrate by means of a pressure difference.Uniformity of charge integration is ensured by forcing the slurry to pass through the substrate several times, in successively opposite directions. The concentration of solid charge in the slurry can be determined as a function of an intended charge percentage by volume in said substrate.