Abstract
Thermal expansions and thermal expansion coefficients of cordierite ceramics reinforced by SiC whiskers up to 40 vol. % were investigated. The composite specimens were hot pressed at 1523K for 30 min under 28.5 MPa pressing pressure in Ar atmosphere. Thermal expansions of the hot pressed composites were measured using a differential dilatometer up to 1262 K in air. Thermal expansions and thermal expansion coefficient of the composites increased with SiC whisker content. Thermal expansion behaviors of the composites were well explained by modelling parallel slabs randomly distributed on the whisker plane as the microstructural element of the composites.