SIC
Hi-Nicalon
NGS Advanced Fibers ? SIC-TOW
Manufacturer page / TDSDescription
Continuous SiC tow manufactured for composite reinforcement.. Product form: Continuous multifilament tow. Official source: AF-NGS-NICALON
Comparative overview
Silicon carbide fiber — Continuous SiC ceramic fiber
Strengths: High stiffness and strength retention at extreme temperature, low creep and compatibility with CMC/MMC hot-section systems.
When to use: Select for turbine/engine hot sections, hypersonic, nuclear, CMC and metal-matrix structures beyond polymer-matrix temperature limits.
Key tradeoffs: Extremely expensive and brittle, with difficult joining/processing; doped or conductive grades are intentionally poor for RF transparency.
Qualitative ratings (1–10 scale)
| Relative cost | 10/10 — Very high — high-cost continuous SiC requiring complex precursor conversion and high-temperature processing. |
|---|---|
| EM transparency | 4/10 — Low — grade-dependent semiconductive behavior; less transparent than oxide/quartz, but not always as conductive as carbon. |
| Temperature / fire resistance | 10/10 — Extreme — top-tier hot-section capability for CMCs and oxidizing environments. |
| Impact / penetration resistance | 4/10 — Moderate — strong but brittle, with low strain-to-failure; CMC interphase and architecture dominate damage tolerance. |
| Electrical / thermal conductivity | 6/10 — Moderate–high — moderate-high thermal/electrical transport, strongly dependent on oxygen content, crystallinity and grade. |
| Specific tensile strength | 4/10 — 4/10 | 1207.5 kN·m/kg | Product TDS |
| Atmospheric durability | 9/10 — Excellent — continuous SiC is highly stable under normal atmospheric exposure; high-temperature oxidation and interphase/coating durability govern extreme service. |
| Sustainability (CO₂e) | 4/10 — 25.00 kg CO₂e/kg fiber — High emissions — data quality: Low |
Technical properties
| Tensile strength | 3200.0 MPa |
|---|---|
| Tensile modulus | 270.0 GPa |
| Density | 2.65 g/cm³ |
Applications and processing
Aerospace engines and high-temperature composite reinforcementWeaving; braiding; CMC/PMC/MMC preform manufacture