Continuous filament ceramic fibers via the viscose process

The process for making AVCERAM (FMC Corporation) fibers involves incorporation of lattice-forming inorganic materials, molecularly dispersed in a viscose batch, spinning, weaving, or winding the resultant fiber on conventional, production-type machinery, and firing the fiber or fabric so as to retain the unique, single, or multicomponent continuous filament structure. The versatility and practicality of the process give promise for new and unusual fiber compositions and fabric constructions in quantities and at prices attractive to the ultimate consumer. Of particular interest is the indication that in composite applications the carbon-silica fabric exhibits some advantages of both carbon and silica reinforcemeuts which may be partly due to in situ conversion to silicon carbide.