Process for producing a sturdy refractory metal oxide article
AssigneeTPV Energy Systems, Inc.
InventorsWalter J. Diederich, Robert E. Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing a sturdy refractory metal oxide article includes the steps of heating a substrate of organic material impregnated with a metal compound to thermally decompose the compound without substantial thermal decomposition of the substrate, further heating to decompose and remove the organic material and complete conversion of the compound to a metal oxide so that a metal oxide replica of the substrate remains and further heating to sinter and densify the replica such that the replica has a strength (shock resistance) figure of merit of at least three g-meters and the replica retains such strength after heating to 1500 C.
Claims22
A process for producing a sturdy refractory metal oxide article comprising the steps of
- heating a substrate of organic material impregnated with a metal compound to increase at a controlled rate the temperature of said impregnated substrate to a temperature sufficiently high to thermally decompose said metal compound as a step in the conversion of said metal compound to a refractory metal oxide without substantial thermal decomposition of said organic substrate material;
- further heating said impregnated substrate to decompose and remove said organic material from said impregnated substrate and to complete the conversion of said metal compound to said refractory metal oxide so that a metal oxide replica of said substrate remains;
- and
- further heating said metal oxide replica to sinter and densify said metal oxide replica such that said densified metal oxide replica has a strength (shock resistance) figure of merit of at least three g-meters, and said replica retains such strength after said replica has been heated to a temperature of 1500.degree. C.
A process for producing a sturdy refractory metal oxide article comprising the steps of
- heating a substrate of organic material impregnated with a metal compound in a substantially oxygen-free atmosphere to increase at a controlled rate the temperature of said impregnated substrate to a temperature sufficiently high to thermally decompose said metal compound as a step in the conversion of said metal compound to a refractory metal oxide without substantial thermal decomposition of said organic substrate material;
- further heating said impregnated substrate in an atmosphere containing an increased amount of oxygen (at least one percent oxygen) to decompose and remove said organic material from said impregnated substrate and to complete the conversion of said metal compound to said refractory metal oxide so that a metal oxide replica of said substrate remains;
- and
- further heating said metal oxide replica to sinter and densify said metal oxide replica such that said densified metal oxide replica is sturdy and retains such strength after said replica has been heated to a temperature of 1500.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.