Rigidization of porous preform prior to densification

1. A method comprising:

infusing a liquid carbonizable precursor into a porous preform, wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor comprises a low-carbon yielding precursor comprising furfuryl alcohol, and wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor has a carbon yield of less than about 50% when pyrolyzed;

pyrolyzing the infused liquid carbonizable precursor to convert the precursor to a carbon, wherein the carbon enhances rigidity of the porous preform to form a rigidized preform;

after pyrolyzing the infused liquid carbonizable precursor, infiltrating the rigidized preform with a densifying agent via resin transfer molding by at least:

placing the rigidized preform into a chamber of a mold; and

delivering substantially all of the densifying agent into the mold in between about 10 seconds and about 40 seconds at a pressure of between about 9 megapascals (MPa) and about 20.5 MPa to infiltrate the rigidized preform with the densifying agent, wherein the carbon formed by pyrolyzing the infused liquid carbonizable precursor provides sufficient rigidity to the rigidized preform to prevent delamination of the rigidized preform during the infiltration of the densifying agent into the rigidized preform; and

pyrolyzing the densifying agent.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the densifying agent comprises at least one of a high carbon yielding, high viscosity resin or pitch comprising at least one of a derivative of coal tar precursor, a derivative of a petroleum precursor, a derivative of a synthetic pitch precursor, a synthetic pitch, a coal tar pitch, a petroleum pitch, a mesophase pitch, or a high char-yield thermoset resin.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the porous preform comprises one of a fibrous preform, a carbon fiber preform, a nonwoven preform, a random fiber preform including a binder, a rigidized preform or a foam preform.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor has a viscosity that is sufficiently low to permit infusion substantially into an inner portion of the porous preform.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after pyrolyzing the infused precursor, further rigidizing the rigidized preform via chemical vapor deposition/chemical vapor infiltration.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to infusing the liquid carbonizable precursor into the porous preform, rigidizing the porous preform via chemical vapor deposition/chemical vapor infiltration.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein infusing the liquid carbonizable precursor into the porous preform comprises immersing the porous preform in the liquid carbonizable precursor in the presence of a vacuum.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein infusing the liquid carbonizable precursor into the porous preform comprises infusing the liquid carbonizable precursor to a depth of at least about 50% of a distance from exterior surfaces of a preform body of the porous preform to a geometric center of the preform body.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor is infused to a depth of at least about 70% of the distance from exterior surfaces of the preform body of the porous preform to the geometric center of the preform body.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor is infused to a depth of at least about 90% of the distance from exterior surfaces of the preform body of the porous preform to the geometric center of the preform body.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor is infused substantially throughout an entire preform body of the porous preform.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises at least one baffle, wherein the at least one baffle creates a flow-resistance differential within the chamber of the mold during infiltration of the densifying agent.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the densifying agent is delivered into the mold in between about 18 seconds and about 25 seconds at a pressure of between about 12.4 MPa and about 18.96 MPa.

14. A method comprising:

infusing a liquid carbonizable precursor into a porous preform, wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor comprises a low-carbon yielding precursor comprising furfuryl alcohol, and wherein the liquid carbonizable precursor has a carbon yield of less than about 50% when pyrolyzed;

pyrolyzing the infused liquid carbonizable precursor to convert the precursor to a carbon to form a rigidized preform, wherein the carbon enhances rigidity of the porous preform;

after pyrolyzing the infused liquid carbonizable precursor, infiltrating the rigidized preform with a densifying agent by at least:

placing the porous preform into a chamber of a mold; and

subjecting the mold to a vacuum with an absolute pressure of below about 500 torr to deliver the densifying agent into the mold, wherein the carbon formed by pyrolyzing the infused liquid carbonizable precursor provides sufficient rigidity to the rigidized preform to prevent delamination of the rigidized preform during the infiltration of the densifying agent into the rigidized preform; and

pyrolyzing the densifying agent.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the absolute pressure is below about 100 torr.