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The global aerospace industry has experienced significant growth and development in recent years. Along with this growth comes an increased demand for advanced materials in aerospace manufacturing. Researchers are increasingly paying attention to new high-performance and advanced composite materials due to their numerous advantages such as multifunctionality, structural integrity, and designability. One material receiving attention is silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite (CMC-SiC).

CMC-SiC is a newly developed composite material that can bring several benefits to the aerospace field. It has low density, high strength, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and other properties. As aircraft engine turbine operating temperatures increase, traditional alloy materials used in the industry are reaching the limits of their performance parameters. This limitation drives the need for new materials capable of meeting future high thrust-to-weight ratio aeroengines. This is where CMC-SiC comes in.

CMC-SiC mainly has two types according to its internal fiber composition: carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite (C/SiC) and silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite (SiC/SiC). Compared with superalloys, the density of CMC-SiC is only about 30%. It can withstand higher operating temperatures even without the need for cooling and coating techniques. By integrating CMC-SiC components into aero-engines, it is possible to reduce the overall weight, reduce the usage of cooling air, increase the temperature before the turbine, and reduce fuel consumption. France, the United States, Japan and other countries have successfully applied CMC-SiC to hot-end components such as aerospace combustion chambers, turbines, and nozzles.

Despite the great potential of CMC-SiC, there are still some areas of research that need attention, especially in the field of laser processing. At present, the research on CMC-SiC laser processing is still in the basic stage, mainly focusing on analyzing the influence of various laser parameters on the processing effect. Since CMC-SiC is woven from multiple layers of fibers, defects different from general homogeneous materials may appear during laser processing. The thermal effect of CW lasers and high-power long-pulse lasers is significant, making laser processing an efficient and low-quality solution. Although previous studies have shown that adjusting ultrashort pulse laser processing parameters can produce better results, there is a lack of systematic theoretical and experimental research support.

To bridge this gap, it is crucial to further study and enhance the mechanism of laser action on CMC-SiC using methods such as thermal-stress coupled analysis, laser-induced plasma hydrodynamics, and wave optics. The aim of this study is to accurately understand the conditions and evolution mechanisms for the generation of surface microstructures. In addition, the study of CMC-SiC ultrashort pulse laser multi-energy field composite processing technology can provide an in-depth understanding of the physical mechanism and suppression strategy of thermal damage of matrix materials. This in turn can significantly improve the processing efficiency and quality of CMC-SiC.

It requires multidisciplinary collaboration in materials, manufacturing, control, and information to study key technologies such as laser optical path planning, high-speed scanning, equipment on-line monitoring and compensation, three-dimensional detection and identification of workpiece features, and laser optical path planning. Optical-mechanical-electrical collaborative control. These efforts will meet the structural requirements of CMC-SiC components and meet the development needs of complex designs and diverse combinations.

In conclusion, CMC-SiC brings great prospects to the aerospace industry with its excellent performance and potential. Continued research and development of laser processing and related technologies will pave the way for the practical application of CMC-SiC in aerospace manufacturing. By taking advantage of this material’s strengths, aerospace vehicles can benefit from reduced weight, increased efficiency and enhanced performance to meet the growing demands of the industry.