Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office Office europeen des brevets © Publication number: 0 489 243 A1 EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION © Application number: 91117268.2 @ Date of filing: 10.10.91 int. ci.5; C03C 14/00, C03B 19/06, C04B 35/80, C04B 35/64 © Priority: 06.12.90 US 623075 © Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED Houghton Park @ Date of publication of application: Corning New York 14831 (US) 10.06.92 Bulletin 92/24 @ Inventor: Allaire, Roger Alphee © Designated Contracting States: Corning Incorporated, Patent Dep., SP FR DE FR GB 02-12 Corning, NY 14831(US) Inventor: Janas, Victor Feliks Corning Incorporated, Patent Dep., SP FR 02-12 Corning, NY 14831(US) © Representative: Smith, Sydney et al Elkington and Fife, Beacon House, 113 Kingsway London WC2B 6PP(GB) © Method for making ceramic matrix composites. 00 CM o> 00 © Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite articles of complex shape are made with improved physical integrity and control over fiber alignment by a process wherein prepreg comprising fibers and powdered matrix is treated to shorten the average length of the fibers, then configured without binder removal into a preform of selected shape and fiber orientation, and finally consolidated with heat and pressure into a dense ceramic matrix composite article (10). Fiber breakage during the consolidation process is thereby avoided. Fig. I Rank Xerox (UK) Business Services