Porous aluminum-containing ceramic bodies are treated to form acicular mullite crystals onto the surfaces of their pores. The crystals are formed by contacting the body with a fluorine-containing gas or a source of both fluorine and silicon atoms to form fluorotopaz at the surface of the pores, and then decomposing the fluorotopaz to form acicular mullite crystals. This process allows the surface area of the ceramic body to be increased significantly while retaining the geometry (size, shape, general pore structure) of the starting body. The higher surface area makes the body more efficient as a particulate filter and also allows for easier introduction of catalytic materials.

A multilayer interface coating for composite material fibers includes a first coating layer deposited onto a fiber and a second coating layer deposited onto the first coating layer.

A Dielectric Energy Storage System (DESS) and method that stores energy for a wide variety of applications.

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component having an engineered surface includes applying a surface slurry comprising first particulate solids in a liquid carrier to an outer surface of a ceramic fiber preform. The surface slurry is dried to remove the liquid carrier, and thus a surface slurry layer comprising the first particulate solids is formed on the outer surface. The surface slurry layer is polished to a predetermined thickness and/or surface finish. After polishing, a ceramic tape comprising second particulate solids is applied to the surface slurry layer, and pressure is applied to attach the ceramic tape to the surface slurry layer and to induce consolidation of the ceramic tape and the surface slurry layer. Thus, a multilayer surface region comprising the surface slurry layer and a ceramic tape layer is formed on the ceramic fiber preform. The ceramic fiber preform and the multilayer surface region are infiltrated with a molten material, and, upon cooling, a CMC component having an engineered surface is formed.

A porous material includes an aggregate, and a binding material that binds the aggregate together in a state where pores are formed. The porous material contains 0.1 to 10.0 mass % of an MgO component, 0.5 to 25.0 mass % of an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 component, and 5.0 to 45.0 mass % of an SiO.sub.2 component with respect to the mass of the whole porous material, and further contains 0.01 to 5.5 mass % of an Sr component in terms of SrO.

Disclosed is a modified preceramic polymer having a polymer backbone consisting of silicon or a combination of silicon and carbon; and a pendant modifier bonded to the backbone wherein the modifier includes silicon, boron, aluminum, a transition metal, a refractory metal, or a combination thereof. The modified preceramic polymer can be used to form a ceramic matrix composite.

A ceramic matrix composite manufacturing method includes: forming a zirconia-sol containing layer that contains zirconia sol, on fabric having an interface layer formed on a periphery of each of a plurality of ceramic-made fibers; impregnating the fabric having the zirconia-sol containing layer formed, with a polymer as a precursor, to form a body; supplying oxygen to the polymer included in the body; heating the body in an inert gas atmosphere to cause a reaction of the polymer to form a matrix; and heating the body in an oxygen atmosphere to remove the interface layer, after supplying the oxygen and heating the body in the inert gas atmosphere, to generate a ceramic matrix composite in which the matrix is interposed between the fibers.

Disclosed is a coating layer-bonded continuous ceramic fiber formed from a continuous ceramic fiber having a coating layer of a metal compound with a thickness of 50 nm or less on the surface. Also disclosed is a ceramic matrix composite material having the above-described coating layer-bonded continuous ceramic fiber.

A method is provided for growing a fiber structure, where the method includes: obtaining a substrate, growing an array of pedestal fibers on the substrate, growing fibers on the pedestal fibers, and depositing a coating surrounding each of the fibers. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a fiber structure includes obtaining a substrate and growing a plurality of fibers on the substrate according to 1½D printing. In another aspect, a multilayer functional fiber is provided produced by, for instance, the above-noted methods.

A ceramic matrix composite includes a plurality of ceramic fibers and an interface coating disposed on the plurality of ceramic fibers. The interface coating includes a carbon-based layer disposed on each ceramic fiber of the plurality of ceramic fibers and a boron-nitride based layer disposed on the first carbon-based layer. The ceramic matrix composite also includes a ceramic matrix surrounding the plurality of ceramic fibers. A ceramic matrix composite and a method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component are also disclosed.