Process for preparing self-supporting bodies and products made thereby
AssigneeLanxide Technology Company, LP
InventorsMarc S. Newkirk, Michael K. Aghajanian, Danny R. White
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Self-supporting bodies are produced by reactive infiltration of a parent metal with a boron source typically resulting in a composite comprising a parent metal boride and metal. The mass to be infiltrated may contain one or more inert fillers admixed with the boron source to produce a composite by reactive infiltration, which composite comprises a matrix of metal and parent metal boride embedding the filler. The relative amounts of reactants and process conditions may be altered or controlled to yield a body containing varying volume percents of ceramic, metal and/or porosity.
Claims20
A method for producing a self-supporting body comprising:
- (a) selecting a parent metal, (b) heating said parent metal in a substantially inert atmosphere to a temperature above its melting point to form a body of molten metal, and contacting said body of molten parent metal with a mass comprising a boron source selected from the group consisting of boron and metal boride, (c) maintaining said temperature for a time sufficient to permit infiltration of molten parent metal into said mass and to permit reaction of molten parent metal with said boron source to form a parent metal boride, and (d) continuing said infiltration and reaction for a time sufficient to produce said self-supporting body comprising a metallic phase and parent metal boride.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.