High thermal conductivity metal matrix composites

A method of forming a composite structure comprised essentially of a metal matrix having diamond particles dispersed therein, and wherein said diamond particles are characterized by the presence thereon of a surface layer of SiC chemically bonded thereto, comprising the steps of contacting the surface of said diamond particles with a source of Si under conditions whereby the Si is chemically reacted with C comprising the surface of the diamond particles, thereby forming said surface layer of SiC bonded to said diamond particles, wherein said composite structure is formed by assembling a plurality of said diamond particles in an array, and encapsulating the particles of said array with said metal in a molten state whereby the particles of said array bearing the surface layer of SiC are dispersed in a matrix of said metal when the molten metal hardens upon cooling to the solid state.

(canceled)

9-11. (canceled)

(canceled)

(canceled)

17-20. (canceled)

A process to coat diamond powder with a thin SiC surface coating, wherein the diamond particles comprising the diamond powder are contacted by a gaseous Si containing species under conditions causing chemical vapor reaction between the gaseous Si containing species and the solid particles comprising the diamond powder, said SiC coated diamond powder being suitable to be encapsulated in a metal matrix to form a very high thermal conductivity metal matrix composite.

A process to coat the particles comprising a diamond powder with a thin, in-situ SiC coating obtained by depositing a Si containing preceramic polymer layer on the diamond particle that can be converted to SiC by heating to a suitably high temperature to initiate the conversion of the diamond surface to SiC, but at a time insufficient to convert the diamond structure to graphite, said SiC coated diamond powder being suitable to form very high thermal conductivity metal matrix composites.

25-26. (canceled)

28-30. (canceled)

A process to coat the particles comprising a diamond powder with a thin SiC surface conversion coating, wherein the coating is obtained by passing a reactive gaseous mixture over the diamond particles, such that the reactive gas produces a silicon containing species at a temperature that causes reaction between the silicon containing species and the diamond, but at a time and temperature insufficient to convert the diamond structure to graphite, said SiC powder being suitable to form very high thermal conductive matrix composites.

33-34. (canceled)

36-39. (canceled)

A process to coat the particles compressing a diamond powder with a thin SiC surface coating, wherein a preform of phenolic resin, Si powder, and diamond powder are heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the surface conversion reaction to occur, said SiC coated diamond powder being suitable to form very high thermal conductivity metal matrix composites.

41-45. (canceled)

47-96. (canceled)

99-100. (canceled)

103-104. (canceled)

A process for making a metal matrix composite with very high thermal conductivity, said composite comprising a metal matrix containing a powder formed of diamond particles dispersed therein, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing the respective particles comprising the diamond powder with a thin surface layer of SiC by reacting the carbon surfaces of said diamond particles with a gaseous Si containing species at a temperature sufficient to form SiC,
• (b) forming a homogeneous mixture of the above SiC layered diamond particles with metal powder selected to form the matrix, and
• (c) forming a dense composite by hot pressing the above mixture of SiC surface layered diamond particles and metal powder at a temperature, pressure and cycle time sufficient to fully densify the composite.

A process for making a metal matrix composite with very high thermal conductivity, said composite comprising a metal matrix containing a powder formed of diamond particles dispersed therein, comprising the steps of:

• (a) coating the respective particles comprising the diamond powder with a thin layer of SiC by reacting said diamond particles with a gaseous SiC containing species at a temperature sufficient to form SiC,
• (b) forming a homogeneous mixture of the above SiC coated powder with metal powder, and
• (c) forming a dense composite by hot isostatic pressing the above mixture of SiC coated diamond powder and metal powder at a temperature, pressure and cycle time sufficient to fully densify the composite.

107-135. (canceled)

A method of forming a composite structure comprised essentially of a metal matrix having diamond particles dispersed therein, and wherein said diamond particles are characterized by the presence thereon of a surface layer of SiC chemically bonded thereto, comprising the steps of contacting the surface of said diamond particles with a source of SiC under conditions whereby the SiC is deposited on the surface of the diamond particles, causing the deposited SiC to diffuse into the diamond particle on which it is deposited by subjecting to heat at a temperature and for a time adequate to cause such diffusion, thereby forming said surface layer of SiC bonded to said diamond particles, and forming said composite structure by encapsulating a plurity of said particles in array with said metal in a molten state, whereby the particles of said array bearing the surface layer of SiC are dispersed in a matrix of said metal when the molten metal hardens upon cooling to the solid state.

(canceled)