Thermal protection systems comprising flexible regions of inter-bonded lamina of ceramic matrix composite material and methods of forming the same

摘要

Methods of forming ceramic matrix composite structures include joining at least two lamina together to form a flexible ceramic matrix composite structure. Ceramic matrix composite structures include at least one region of reduced inter-laminar bonding at a selected location between lamina thereof. Thermal protection systems include at least one seal comprising a ceramic matrix composite material and have at least one region of reduced inter-laminar bonding at a selected location between lamina used to form the seal. Methods of forming thermal protection systems include providing one or more such seals between adjacent panels of a thermal protection system.

主权项

1. A thermal protection system, comprising:
a plurality of mutually laterally adjacent panels; and at least one seal having a portion extending over a gap between at least two laterally adjacent panels of the plurality of mutually laterally adjacent panels, the at least one seal comprising:
a plurality of inter-bonded adjacent lamina, each comprising a ceramic matrix composite material comprising a continuous reinforcing phase embedded in a ceramic matrix; andat least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding between at least two lamina of the plurality of inter-bonded adjacent lamina, the at least one region of at least reduced inter-laminar bonding spanning a curved flexible region of the at least two lamina between at least two bonded regions of the at least two lamina.