Fiber self-heating 3D printing of continuous carbon fiber-reinforced SiC composites

In order to overcome the constraints of slurry rheology and fiber bundle size in suppressing fiber deviation during DIW 3D printing of continuous carbon fiber-reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composites (C f /SiC CMCs), a novel fiber self-heating 3D printing strategy for the rapid, on-demand fabrication of continuous C f /SiC composites was proposed, in which electrically conductive carbon fibers serve simultaneously as continuous reinforcements and internal Joule-heating elements. During co-extrusion of carbon fibers and a thermosetting SiC slurry, the electrified fibers generate localized heat that in situ cures the surrounding slurry, thereby immediately immobilizing the fibers after deposition and suppressing their deviation from the designed toolpath. The resulting preforms are subsequently densified by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis as well as reactive melt infiltration to produce C f /SiC composites. This process enables accurate placement of continuous fibers and automated printing of complex composite architectures, offering an approach to improve the structural fidelity and mechanical reliability of C f /SiC composites.