Reservoir feed method of making ceramic composite structures and structures made thereby

A method for producing a self-supporting ceramic composite structure comprising a ceramic matrix obtained by an oxidation reaction of a parent metal with an oxidant to form a polycrystalline material, the method comprising:

• (a) orienting (i) a first source of parent metal comprising a solid ingot of parent metal and (ii) a permeable mass of filler material relative to each other so that formation of an oxidation reaction product of the first source of parent metal will occur in a direction towards and into said mass of filler material, wherein the quantity of said first source of parent metal provided is insufficient to embed substantially completely said permeable mass;
• (b) providing a second source of parent metal comprising a reservoir;
• (c) heating said first source of parent metal to a temperature region above its melting point but below the melting point of its oxidation reaction product to form a body of first source of molten parent metal and reacting said body of first source of molten parent metal with an oxidant to form said oxidation reaction product by maintaining at least a portion of said oxidation reaction product in contact with and extending between said body of first source of molten parent metal and said oxidant to progressively draw molten parent metal through the oxidation reaction product towards the oxidant and into said mass of filler material so that fresh oxidation reaction product continues to form within said mass of filler material at an interface between said oxidant and previously formed oxidation reaction product;
• (d) heating said reservoir source of parent metal to cause it to be molten;
• and
• (e) contacting said reservoir of molten parent metal with said body of first source of molten parent metal such that said molten reservoir of parent metal communicates with said body of first source of molten parent metal to at least partially replenish said body of first source of molten parent metal as said reacting continues, thereby forming said self-supporting ceramic composite structure.