Glass and glass-ceramic matrix composites for advanced applications: Part I: Properties and manufacturing technologies

Glass and glass-ceramic matrix composites are a special group of ceramic materials, which are the object of continuous academic and industrial research, due to the wide range of properties and superior performance that these materials can achieve and that allow their use in a wide range of applications. They consist of a glass or semi-crystalline matrix (glass-ceramic, developed from controlled crystallization of a glass) incorporating a “reinforcing” phase. Depending on the morphology of the second phase, composites can be classified as dispersion or particle reinforced, laminated reinforced and fiber-reinforced. Varying the microstructure and chemical composition of the glass/glass-ceramic matrix and the nature and distribution of reinforcements, the properties of the composites can be tuned to meet different requirements. The materials developed may be transparent or opaque and they can exhibit almost zero thermal expansion and high fracture toughness. In addition, they are usually resistant to thermal shock and have a high impact resistance and temperature/oxidation capability. Unlike polycrystalline ceramic matrices, glasses show viscous flow, which enables them to be shaped and densified at lower temperatures than their ceramic matrix counterparts which leads to cost-effective manufacturing. This article will review the field of glass and glass-ceramic matrix composites in terms of systems investigated, fabrication technologies and properties.