Densification of SiC_f/mullite composite via vacuum pressure impregnation process towards excellent mechanical and microwave absorbing performance

A simple and low-cost method for preparing SiC_f/mullite composites with high density, mechanical, and absorbing performance using a vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) system has been developed. The densification mechanism of the mullite matrix was investigated, and the effects of impregnation pressures on the flexural strength, interfacial bonding strength, and the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing performance of SiC_f/mullite composites were also studied. The dense composite was prepared under 3 MPa pressure with a porosity of 6.23 % and median pore diameters (MPDs) of 13.02 nm. The preparation efficiency was improved with the impregnation circles decreased from 20 times to 13 times. The flexural strength of SiC_f/mullite composites prepared by VPI is 297 MPa, which is improved 230 % of the one prepared by the traditional vacuum impregnation method. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of appropriate impedance matching and multiple polarization loss, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < −10 dB) of the SiC_f/mullite composites increases from 2.17 GHz to 2.80 GHz in the X band. This work has a positive application value for the manufacture of high-strength EMW absorbing composites in terms of significantly reducing the preparation cost and cycle duration.