Additive manufacturing of ceramic matrix composites based on carbon fiber reinforced PEEK by material extrusion technology : Design based deformation mechanisms

Title data

Freudenberg, Wolfgang ; Werner, Felix ; Friedel, Max ; Langhof, Nico ; Ruckdäschel, Holger ; Schafföner, Stefan:
Additive manufacturing of ceramic matrix composites based on carbon fiber reinforced PEEK by material extrusion technology : Design based deformation mechanisms.
In: Open Ceramics. Vol. 26 (2026) . - 100973.
ISSN 2666-5395
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceram.2026.100973

Project information

Abstract in another language

This study explores the deformation mechanisms during the fabrication of carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMC) using a modified liquid silicon infiltration (LSI) process. Starting from additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) components based on carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (CF-PEEK). The processing included thermal crosslinking, pyrolysis, and silicon infiltration. A gear wheel geometry was used to evaluate deformation effects to define four shape stability criteria and finally to predict the deformations. Key factors influencing deformation were identified, including anisotropic fiber orientation, infill density, and thermal crosslinking efficiency. Three distinct deformation categories were determined: unavoidable shrinkage-induced deformation, distortion due to internal stress, and severe shape loss caused by insufficient gas release during pyrolysis. Finite element simulations qualitatively predicted and correlated the deformation behavior with the experimental results. The study demonstrated how optimized slicing strategies and controlled processing can minimize deformation, enabling more reliable and reproducible near-net-shape manufacturing of complex CMC components.