Environmental impact assessment of manufacturing of SiC/SiC composites

SiC/SiC composites have attracted increasing attention in various applications such as turbine blades, exhaust nozzles, and combustor chambers, due to their exceptional mechanical and thermal properties. However, the environmental impact of these composites across their life cycle is an important aspect that needs to be evaluated to support their responsible development and use. In this study, a life cycle assessment of SiC/SiC woven laminate ceramic matrix composites to quantify their environmental impacts from cradle-to-gate was conducted. Three different manufacturing methods to produce SiC/SiC woven laminates were researched: chemical vapour infiltration (CVI), pyrolysis of a preceramic polymer (PIP), and melt infiltration (MI). The Life Cycle Assessment approach was utilized to identify the effect outcomes for each process, analysing the raw material extraction, raw material processing, and final product manufacturing phases to develop the environmental impact assessment. The study's outcome showed that CVI had the lowest average environmental impact between the two methods.