Process for making finely divided intermetallic

Abstract

A method is disclosed for controlling a self-propagating reaction in a particulate medium. The method comprises controlling the boundary heat flux of the reaction to produce reaction waves which travel through the particulate medium undergoing a self-propagating reaction. The method provides a product having a unitary, solid structure with layers of alternating density. Preferably the reaction is a reaction between two metals to produce an intermetallic compound or between a metal and a non-metal to produce a ceramic compound. Nickel aluminide is a preferred intermetallic compound. Also disclosed is a controlled reactive sintering process for producing a finely divided intermetallic compound comprising comminuting the layered body of intermetallic compound. Also disclosed are a process for preparing an abrasive surface composed of a nickel aluminide binder and an abrasive material, an injection molding composition for preparing shaped articles of nickel aluminide, and a process for injection molding shaped nickel aluminide articles of greater than 98% theoretical density.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.