Sealed ceramic material and method
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorRalph Korenstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ceramic substrate including a porous internal structure including a sealant infiltrator. The sealant infiltrator includes sodium and silicate. The sealant infiltrator infiltrates at least some of the plurality of pores and closes the plurality of pores filled with the sealant infiltrator when exposed to a negative pressure. The sealant infiltrator is distributed across the exterior surface of the ceramic substrate.
Claims20
A moisture-resistant effector comprising:
- an effector body;
- a rocket motor installed in the effector body;
- the effector body includes a ceramic substrate, the ceramic substrate includes:
- an exterior surface;
- and
- a porous internal structure including a plurality of pores, wherein the plurality of pores extend to the exterior surface;
- and
- a sealant infiltrator coupled with the ceramic substrate:
- wherein the sealant infiltrator includes sodium and silicate;
- wherein the sealant infiltrator infiltrates the plurality of pores and closes the plurality of pores;
- wherein the sealant infiltrator is distributed across the exterior surface of the ceramic substrate.
A moisture-resistant effector including a ceramic substrate comprising:
- an effector body;
- a rocket motor installed in the effector body;
- an encapsulating body coupled to an end of the effector body, the encapsulating body at least partially containing an electronic component;
- and
- wherein at least one of the effector body and the encapsulating body includes the ceramic substrate, the ceramic substrate includes:
- an exterior surface;
- and
- a porous internal structure including a plurality of pores,
- wherein the plurality of pores extend to the exterior surface;
- and
- the ceramic substrate includes a porous configuration and a sealed configuration:
- wherein in the porous configuration each of the exterior surface and the plurality of pores are open;
- in the sealed configuration a sealant infiltrator infiltrates the plurality of pores in the ceramic substrate;
- wherein the sealant infiltrator is configured to expand to occupy a least a portion of the plurality of pores;
- wherein the sealant infiltrator is distributed across the exterior surface of the ceramic substrate.
A method of forming a moisture-resistant material included in an effector, the moisture-resistant material including a ceramic substrate having a porous configuration and a sealed configuration, the method including:
- sealing a ceramic substrate having an exterior surface and a porous internal structure in the porous configuration, the ceramic substrate having a pre-sealing mass, wherein sealing the ceramic substrate includes:
- submerging the ceramic substrate in a liquid having a sealant infiltrator;
- decreasing a pressure around the ceramic substrate and sealant infiltrator;
- releasing the decreased pressure after a specified time;
- wherein releasing the decreased pressure drives the sealant infiltrator into a plurality of pores;
- removing the ceramic substrate with the sealant infiltrator in the plurality of pores from the liquid;
- heating the ceramic substrate containing the sealant infiltrator to dry the ceramic substrate with the sealant infiltrator in the sealed configuration;
- and
- drying the ceramic substrate containing the sealant infiltrator;
- and
- determining a post-sealing mass of the ceramic substrate with the sealant infiltrator in the sealed configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.