Chemical Vapour Infiltration and Deposition of Silicon Carbide, Carbon, and Oxides

Concepts

• abingdon
• engineering, scientific and technical
• silicon carbide fibre reinforced composites
• chemical vapour infiltration
• oxides
• silicon carbide
• carbon
• deposition
• carbide
• chemical

Location

United Kingdom: UKAEA Culham

Description

The purpose of this RFI is to have a better understanding of the capabilities for chemical vapour infiltration of fibre reinforced composites which currently exist. The materials of interest to be manufactured by chemical vapour infiltration or deposition (CVI or CVD) are silicon carbide fibre reinforced composites. The CVI materials will act as the interphase coating on the fibres, and the matrix.

Total Quantity or Scope

The main objective is to find out supplier’s capabilities to produce parts, and obtain an understanding of the possible size, and geometric complexity which can be achieved, including limitations on the supply of raw materials. These parts are intended for material testing, with potential application as structural materials in the blanket of a tokamak fusion reactor. The aims of this RFI are given in section 3.1. UKAEA wish to ask prospective suppliers to answer the requirements in section 3.2. Estimation of cost and timelines would also be appreciated to aid us in planning.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 71350000 - Engineering-related scientific and technical services

Legal Justification

A PIN (Prior Information Notice) was issued in August 2022 for these services, and responses were invited from eligible suppliers via an RFI (Request for Information). Following this exercise, Archer Technicoat Ltd were found to be the primary UK supplier of these specialist services. Recent market engagement in 2024 has confirmed that Archer Technicoat Ltd are still the primary UK supplier for these specialist services, and therefore the award is justified on the grounds that the "services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator [because] competition is absent for technical reasons".

Other Information

Interphase materials of interest include pyrolytic carbon, and rare earth oxides (eg. erbia) and silicates (eg. yttrium disilicate). Matrix materials of interest are silicon carbide, and coatings of interest are silicon carbide and rare earth oxides. Alternative methods of applying sub-micron scale interphases are also of interest. ** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **