Tension-Compression Fatigue of a Nextel™720/alumina Composite at 1200 °C in Air and in Steam

Tension-compression fatigue behavior of an oxide-oxide ceramic-matrix composite was investigated at 1200 °C in air and in steam. The composite is comprised of an alumina matrix reinforced with Nextel™720 alumina-mullite fibers woven in an eight harness satin weave (8HSW). The composite has no interface between the fiber and matrix, and relies on the porous matrix for flaw tolerance. Tension-compression fatigue behavior was studied for cyclical stresses ranging from 60 to 120 MPa at a frequency of 1.0 Hz. The R ratio (minimum stress to maximum stress) was −1.0. Fatigue run-out was defined as 10⁵ cycles and was achieved at 80 MPa in air and at 70 MPa in steam. Steam reduced cyclic lives by an order of magnitude. Specimens that achieved fatigue run-out were subjected to tensile tests to failure to characterize the retained tensile properties. Specimens subjected to prior cyclic loading in air retained 100 % of their tensile strength. The steam environment severely degraded tensile properties. Tension-compression cyclic loading was considerably more damaging than tension-tension cyclic loading. Composite microstructure, as well as damage and failure mechanisms were investigated.