At present, most carbon fibres are used as reinforcement for polymers. Fabrication technologies for carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are now reaching a mature state that effectively replaces metals in various technical fields, including aerospace, sporting equipment, civil engineering, etc. However, there are many structures in which metal alloys cannot be replaced with CFRPs because of, firstly, the limited temperatures that plastics can survive, and secondly, the relatively low fracture toughness of CFRPs. This has led researchers to develop carbon-fibre/metal-matrix composites (CFMMCs), considering aluminium, titanium, and nickel alloys as potential matrix materials. The present paper presents a review of the corresponding results, focusing on those obtained in the current century.

Reinforcing a molybdenum matrix with appropriate oxide fibers slows down oxidation of molybdenum at high temperatures. At the same time, oxide fibers crystallized from the melt determine high creep resistance of the composites at temperatures up to about 1300 °C. An analysis of the experimental data on creep rupture and matrix oxidation yields a general idea of tailoring creep resistant refractory metal matrix composites of high fracture toughness and sufficiently high gas corrosion resistance. To develop such composites, it is necessary to reinforce a refractory metal with creep resistant fibers containing an element providing gas corrosion resistance of the composite.