| Abstract Scope |
Polycarbosilane is used to make SiC composites with polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) processing. The price of carbosilane has become a supply chain issue. This study examines if MS-154 and other polycarbosiloxanes may serve as lower-cost preceramic polymer routes for SiC-containing ceramic formation and future polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) processing. The work is motivated by the need to reduce reliance on costly precursors while maintaining useful cure behavior, ceramic yield, and final ceramic composition. Catalyst and crosslinking additives can be added to promote room-temperature curing, improve polymer network formation, increase yield, and reduce residual oxygen in the final ceramic. The resulting materials will be evaluated through cure behavior, rheological response, ceramic yield, and post-pyrolysis structural characterization to assess their suitability for conversion from SiOC products toward more SiC-rich ceramics at elevated temperature. |