Patent ID: 8309013

Claim:
A method for the production of a component of ceramic-matrix composite material, the method comprising: (a) preparing a preform of ceramic fibers set in a draining mold by a plurality of steps selected from the group consisting of (i) first shaping the preform of ceramic fibers, then setting the preform in the draining mold and then impregnating the ceramic fibers with a first suspension of ceramic powders, wherein the impregnating of the ceramic fibers is done without draining liquid from the preform, (ii) first impregnating the ceramic fibers with the first suspension of ceramic powders, then shaping the preform and then setting the preform in the draining mold, and (iii) first shaping the preform of ceramic fibers, then impregnating the preform with the first suspension of ceramic powders and then setting the preform in the draining mold, wherein in (i), (ii) and (iii) the first suspension comprises a liquid that, after impregnation of the ceramic fibers, is present between fibers of the preform and wherein said impregnated preform comprises a material of an initial compactness; (b) then, continuously draining by capillarity the liquid that is present between the impregnated fibers of the preform while simultaneously causing a second suspension of ceramic powder to be infiltrated between the fibers of the preform to cause the material progressively to solidify and to form a green body comprising material that is more compact than the material initially; (c) removing the green body from the draining mold; and (d) sintering the green body to form the component of ceramic-matrix composite material.