Methods and apparatus for depositing material on a continuous substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a continuous substrate includes: a first chamber having a first volume; a second chamber having a second volume fluidly coupled to the first volume; and a plurality of process chambers, each having a process volume defining a processing path between the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the process volume of each process chamber is fluidly coupled to each other, to the first volume, and to the second volume, and wherein the first chamber, the second chamber, and the plurality of process chambers are configured to process a continuous substrate that extends from the first chamber, through the plurality of process chambers, and to the second chamber.

A method of making a ceramic composite component includes providing a fibrous preform or a plurality of fibers, providing a first plurality of particles, coating the first plurality of particles with a coating to produce a first plurality of coated particles, delivering the first plurality of coated particles to the fibrous preform or to an outer surface of the plurality of fibers, and converting the first plurality of coated particles into refractory compounds. The first plurality of particles or the coating comprises a refractory metal.

A tow coating reactor system includes a reactor for receiving fiber tow, a wedge situated adjacent the reactor and configured to receive the tow at a tip end, such that as the tow moves across the wedge, the wedge spreads the tow into a plurality of sub-tows.

A method for manufacturing a C/C part includes fabricating an oxidized PAN fiber preform comprising a stack of sheets of multi-axial, non-crimp, OPF fabric. The method includes positioning the oxidized PAN fiber preform with a female forming tool, the female forming tool comprising a die recess, and forming the oxidized PAN fiber preform into a shaped body. The shaped body is removed from the female forming tool and moved into a graphite fixture for carbonization. The carbonized shaped body may also be densified into the final C/C part. The carbonized shaped body can also be placed in a perforated graphite fixture for densification and removed from the perforated graphite fixture between densification processes for machining and for facilitating further densification.

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component. The ceramic matrix composite component is adapted for use in a gas turbine engine. The method including forming the component using ceramic materials and infiltrating the component with a matrix material.

Provided herein is a method of making a conductive network by combining uncoated carbon nanotubes and carbon nanotubes coated with an electroactive substance to create an electrically conductive network; and redistributing at least a portion of the electroactive substance. Also provided herein is an electrically conductive network with an active material coating; first carbon nanotubes coated with the active material coating; and second carbon nanotubes partially coated with the active material coating, wherein at least a portion of the surfaces of the second carbon nanotubes directly contact surfaces of other second carbon nanotubes without the active material coating between these second carbon nanotubes, and wherein the first carbon nanotubes and the second carbon nanotubes are entangled to form an electrically conductive network.

A method of manufacturing ceramic matrix composites includes producing chemical vapor deposition functionalized ceramic particles before injecting the functionalized ceramic particles into the CMC fabric. The functionalized ceramic particles are mixed with a binder solution and then dispensed into voids present between adjacent tows of the CMC fabric. Injecting the particles in the center of the voids reduces the size and volume fraction of the voids/defects, improving the homogeneity of surface texture, homogeneity of microstructure, and part model shape conformity.

This invention provides resin formulations which may be used for 3D printing and pyrolyzing to produce a ceramic matrix composite. The resin formulations contain a solid-phase filler, to provide high thermal stability and mechanical strength (e.g., fracture toughness) in the final ceramic material. The invention provides direct, free-form 3D printing of a preceramic polymer loaded with a solid-phase filler, followed by converting the preceramic polymer to a 3D-printed ceramic matrix composite with potentially complex 3D shapes or in the form of large parts. Other variations provide active solid-phase functional additives as solid-phase fillers, to perform or enhance at least one chemical, physical, mechanical, or electrical function within the ceramic structure as it is being formed as well as in the final structure. Solid-phase functional additives actively improve the final ceramic structure through one or more changes actively induced by the additives during pyrolysis or other thermal treatment.

A method for manufacturing a fibrous tubular structure including lobes, in which fibers are draped/deposited on a mandrel having a shape corresponding to that of the fibrous structure, includes draping/deposition carried out such that at least one group of fibers has a same orientation with respect to the axis (A) of said fibrous structure, then, the fibers having been draped over an angular sector less than the total periphery of the mandrel, one of the ends of the fibrous structure is separated from the mandrel in order to allow the continuation of the draping on the same mandrel.

A method of infiltrating a fiber preform comprises positioning an assembly in a process chamber, where the assembly includes a tool comprising through-holes, a fiber preform constrained within the tool, and a sacrificial preform disposed between the fiber preform and the tool. The sacrificial preform is gas permeable. The process chamber is heated, and gaseous reactants are delivered into the process chamber during the heating. The gaseous reactants penetrate the through-holes of the tool and infiltrate the sacrificial preform and the fiber preform. Deposition of reaction products occurs on exposed surfaces of the fiber preform and the sacrificial preform, and a coating is formed thereon. In addition, the sacrificial preform accumulates excess coating material formed from increased reactions at short diffusion depths. Accordingly, the coating formed on the fiber preform exhibits a thickness variation of about 10% or less throughout a volume of the fiber preform.