Patent ID: 8568650

Claim:
A process for producing a silicon carbide matrix composite material, comprising: preparing a mixed powder of silicon carbide powder having an average grain diameter in a range of 0.1 to 10 μm and carbon powder having an average grain diameter in a range of 0.005 to 1 μm, wherein the silicon carbide powder and the carbon powder are mixed at a mass ratio in a range of 10:3 to 10:5; mixing the mixed powder and an organic binder; press forming a mixture of the mixed powder and the organic binder into a compact having a desired shape; dewaxing by heating the compact to remove the organic binder from the compact; and impregnating molten silicon into the dewaxed compact while heating the dewaxed compact to a maximum temperature in a range of from 1400° C. to less than 1600° C. to produce the silicon carbide matrix composite material comprising a silicon carbide matrix which includes a first silicon carbide phase formed of the silicon carbide powder and a second silicon carbide phase formed by a reaction of the carbon powder and the silicon, and a silicon phase which is continuously present in interstices of silicon carbide crystal grains constituting the silicon carbide matrix, wherein the first silicon carbide phase has silicon carbide crystal grains with an average crystal grain diameter in a range of 0.1 to 10 μm, and the second silicon carbide phase has silicon carbide crystal grains with an average crystal grain diameter in a range of 0.01 to 2 μm; and wherein the silicon phase is present in a range of 5 to 50 mass % in the silicon carbide matrix composite material, and has an average diameter in a range of 0.03 to 3 μm.