Joining methods for ceramic composite bodies

A method for producing a self-supporting body, comprising:

• providing at least one first self-supporting body which is made by a process comprising (i) heating a first parent metal in a substantially inert atmosphere to a temperature above its melting point to form a first body of molten parent metal;
• (ii) contacting said first body of molten parent metal with a permeable mass which is to be reactively infiltrated;
• (iii) maintaining said temperature for a time sufficient to permit infiltration of molten parent metal into said permeable mass which is to be reactively infiltrated and to permit reaction of said molten parent metal with said permeable mass to form at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a first parent metal carbide and a first parent metal nitride (iv) continuing said infiltration reaction for a time sufficient to produce said at least one first self-supporting body;
• providing a material which is to be reactively infiltrated on at least a portion of a surface of said first self-supporting body;
• contacting said material to be infiltrated with at least one second self-supporting body;
• contacting said material to be infiltrated with a second molten parent metal for a time sufficient to permit infiltration of said molten parent metal into said material to be reactively infiltrated and to permit reaction of said second molten parent metal with said material to form at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a second parent metal boron-containing compound, a second parent metal carbon-containing compound and a second parent metal nitrogen-containing compound;
• and
• continuing said infiltration reaction for a time sufficient to bond said at least one first self-supporting body to said at least one second self-supporting body.

A method for producing a self-supporting body, comprising:

• providing at least one first self-supporting body which is made by a process comprising (i) heating a parent metal in a substantially inert atmosphere to a temperature above its melting point to form a body of molten parent metal;
• (ii) contacting said body of molten parent metal with a permeable mass which is to be reactively infiltrated;
• (iii) maintaining said temperature for a time sufficient to permit infiltration of molten parent metal into said permeable mass which is to be reactively infiltrated and to permit reaction of said molten parent metal with said permeable mass to form at least one parent metal nitrogen-containing compound;
• (iv) continuing said infiltration reaction for a time sufficient to produce said at least one first self-supporting body;
• providing a brazing material on at least a portion of a surface of said first self-supporting body;
• contacting said brazing material with at least a portion of a surface of at least one second self-supporting body;
• heating said at least one first self-supporting body, said brazing material and said at least one second self-supporting body to a temperature which permits the brazing material to bond said at least one first self-supporting body and said at least one second self-supporting body together.

A method for producing a self-supporting body, comprising:

• providing at least one first self-supporting body which is made by a process comprising (i) heating a first parent metal in a substantially inert atmosphere to a temperature above its melting point to form a first body of molten parent metal;
• (ii) contacting said first body of molten parent metal with a permeable mass which is to be reactively infiltrated;
• (iii) maintaining said temperature for a time sufficient to permit infiltration of molten parent metal into said permeable mass which is to be reactively infiltrated and to permit reaction of said molten parent metal with said permeable mass to form at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a first parent metal boron-containing compound, a first parent metal carbon-containing compound and a first parent metal nitrogen-containing compound;
• (iv) continuing said infiltration reaction for a time sufficient to produce said at least one first self-supporting body;
• providing a material which is to be reactively infiltrated on at least a portion of a surface of said first self-supporting body;
• contacting said material to be infiltrated with at least one second self-supporting body;
• contacting said material to be infiltrated with a second molten parent metal for a time sufficient to permit infiltration of said molten parent metal into said material to be reactively infiltrated and to permit reaction of said second molten parent metal with said material to form at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a second parent metal carbide and a second parent metal nitride;
• and
• continuing said infiltration reaction for a time sufficient to bond said at least one first self-supporting body to said at least one second self-supporting body.