A process for making in-situ carbide in the form of particulate, whiskers
and fibres in an inorganic composite matrix, which comprises, dissolving
38 to 73.5 Wt % of phenolic resin in an organic solvent to obtain a
phenolic resin solution, adding 4.2-11.0 Wt %--of a curing agent
optionally adding 9.4-12 Wt % of silicon carbide powder to obtain a resin
mix followed by impregnating 1.6-6.5 Wt % of natural fibre with the said
resin mix dried at 60.degree.-70.degree. C. for a period in the range of
1-5 hrs. to obtain a dough in the form of a composite plate sheet, drying
the said composite plate or sheet at a temperature in the range of
70.degree.-90.degree. C. for a time period in the range of 1-2 hrs.,
drying the composite plate or sheet, heat treating the dried composite
plate or sheet at a temperature in the range of --150.degree.-200.degree.
C. for a period in the range of 1-2.5 hrs., impregnating the resultant
composite plate or sheet with 10.4-42 Wt % tetraethyl orthosilicate in
vacuum, subjecting the impregnated composite plate/sheet to heat treatment
in absence of air initially at a heating rate in the range of
2.degree.-5.degree. C. per minute up to a temperature in the range of
200.degree.-400.degree. C. followed by further heating at the rate of
10.degree.-15.degree. C. per minute up to a temperature in the range of
1400.degree. C.-1850.degree. C., maintaining the final temperature for a
period in the range of 0.5-2 hrs.
