Research progress in high thermal conductivity of silicon carbide matrix composites reinforced with fibers

As one kind of advanced high temperature structural and functional materials, it is necessary for fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix composites (SiC CMCs) in the field of thermal management (TM) to combine the efficient heat transfer and high temperature heat resistance. Common fibers reinforced SiC CMCs, such as carbon fibers reinforced SiC CMCs (Cf/SiC or Cf/C-SiC), silicon carbide based fiber reinforced SiC CMCs (SiCf/SiC), etc., have a low degree of graphitization of the reinforcing fiber and are difficult to form an effective heat transport network. The latest research progress on the preparation and properties of fiber reinforced SiC CMCs with highly thermal conductivity was reviewed in this paper. The heat transport ability of fiber reinforced SiC CMCs can be improved by introducing highly thermal conductive phase, optimizing interfacial structure, making silicon carbide crystal coarse-grained, and designing preform structure. Moreover, the development of the fiber reinforced SiC CMCs with highly thermal conductivities was prospected, that is, comprehensively considering the factors that affect the performance of SiC CMCs, flexibly using the structure-activity relationship between the microstructure and properties of the composites, in order to prepare fiber reinforced SiC CMCs with stable size, excellent properties.