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Abstract. Nextel 480 is a polycrystalline essentially mullite fiber (70 wt.-% A1203+28 wt.-% SiO2 + 2 wt.-% BzO3). Different thicknesses of BN were applied as coatings on this fiber. Optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the microstructure of the coatings and fibers. The effects of coating and high temperature exposure on the fiber strength were investigated using two-parameter Weibull distribution. TEM examination showed that the BN coating has a turbostratic structure, with the basal planes lying predominantly parallel to the fiber surface. Such an orientation of coating is desirable for easy crack deflection and subsequent fiber pullout in a composite. The BN coated Nextel 480 fiber showed that Weibull mean strength increased first and then decreased with increasing coating thickness. This was due to the surface flaw healing effect of the thin coating (up to 0.3 #m) while in the case of thick BN coating (1 #m), the soft nature of the coating material had a more dominant effect and resulted in a decrease of the fiber strength. High temperature exposure of Nextel 480 resulted in grain growth, which led to a strength loss.

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