US 5,633,213 AGranted

Method for in situ tailoring the component of ceramic articles

AssigneeLanxide Technology Company, LP

InventorsMichael K. Aghajanian, Marc S. Newkirk, Christopher R. Kennedy, Robert C. Kantner, Michael A. Rocazella, Jerry G. Weinstein, Danny R. White, Gerhard H. Schiroky, William B. Johnson

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Abstract

There is disclosed a method for producing a self-supporting ceramic body by oxidation of a molten precursor metal with a vapor-phase oxidant to form an oxidation reaction product and inducing a molten flux comprising said molten precursor metal through said oxidation reaction product. A second metal is incorporated into said molten flux during the oxidation reaction. The resulting ceramic body includes sufficient second metal such that one or more properties of said ceramic body are at least partially affected by the presence and properties of said second metal in the metallic constituent.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for producing a ceramic body comprising infiltrating a permeable mass with an oxidation reaction product obtained by oxidation of a precursor metal comprising aluminum to form a polycrystalline material comprising (i) the oxidation reaction product of said precursor metal with a vapor-phase oxidant, and (ii) a metallic phase, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a permeable mass comprising a filler material and at least one second material selected from the group consisting of boron carbide and silicon nitride or a preform of filler material and at least one second material selected from the group consisting of boron carbide and silicon nitride;
(b) orienting said permeable mass and a source of said precursor metal relative to each other so that formation of said oxidation reaction product of said precursor metal will occur into said permeable mass and towards said oxidant;
(c) heating said source of precursor metal and said permeable mass in the presence of said oxidant to a temperature above the melting point of said precursor metal but below the melting point of said oxidation reaction product to form a body of molten precursor metal;
(d) reacting said body of molten precursor metal with said oxidant at said temperature to permit said oxidation reaction product to form;
(e) maintaining at least a portion of said oxidation reaction product in contact with and between said molten precursor metal and said oxidant at said temperature to progressively draw molten precursor metal through said oxidation reaction product towards said oxidant to permit fresh oxidation reaction product to continue to form at an interface between said oxidant and previously formed oxidation reaction product that has infiltrated said permeable mass, and reacting said molten precursor metal with said at least one second material in said permeable mass, thereby forming at least one reaction product;
and
(f) continuing step (e) at said temperature for a time sufficient to infiltrate at least a portion of said permeable mass with said polycrystalline material, thereby forming said ceramic body comprising (a) said oxidation reaction product;
and (b) a metallic constituent comprising unreacted precursor metal and (c) at least one reaction product, wherein said at least one reaction product has a specific volume greater than the specific volume of said at least second material.

5 more elements

A method for producing a ceramic body comprising infiltrating a permeable mass with an oxidation reaction product obtained by oxidation of a precursor metal to form a polycrystalline material comprising (i) the oxidation reaction product of said precursor metal with a vapor-phase oxidant, and (ii) a metallic phase, said method comprising the steps of;

(a) forming a permeable mass comprising a filler material and at least one second material or a preform of filler material and at least one second material;
(b) orienting said permeable mass and a source of said precursor metal relative to each other so that formation of said oxidation reaction product of said precursor metal will occur into said permeable mass towards said oxidant;
(c) heating said source of precursor metal and said permeable mass in the presence of said oxidant to a temperature above the melting point of said precursor metal but below the melting point of said oxidation reaction product to form a body of molten precursor metal;
(d) reacting said body of molten precursor metal with said oxidant at said temperature to permit said oxidation reaction product to form;
(e) maintaining at least a portion of said oxidation reaction product in contact with and between said molten precursor metal and said oxidant at said temperature to progressively draw molten precursor metal through said oxidation reaction product towards said oxidant to permit fresh oxidation reaction product to continue to form at an interface between said oxidant and previously formed oxidation reaction product that has infiltrated said permeable mass;
(f) continuing step (e) at said temperature for a time sufficient to infiltrate at least a portion of said permeable mass with said polycrystalline material, thereby forming said ceramic body comprising (a) said oxidation reaction product;
(b) a metallic constituent comprising unreacted precursor metal and (c) said at least one second material;
and
(g) contiguously heating said ceramic composite body to a temperature above the melting point of at least a portion of said unreacted precursor metal and reacting said unreacted precursor metal with at least a portion of said at least one second material, thereby forming at least one reaction product, wherein said at least one reaction product has a specific volume greater than the specific volume of said at least one second material.

6 more elements

(a) forming a permeable mass comprising a filler material and at least one second material or a preform of filler material and at least one second material;
(b) orienting said permeable mass and a source of said precursor metal relative to each other so that formation of said oxidation reaction product of said precursor metal will occur into said permeable mass and towards said oxidant;
(c) heating said source of precursor metal and said permeable mass in the presence of said oxidant to a temperature above the melting point of said precursor metal but below the melting point of said oxidation reaction product to form a body of molten precursor metal;
(d) reacting said body of molten precursor metal with said oxidant at said temperature to permit said oxidation reaction product to form;
(e) maintaining at least a portion of said oxidation reaction product in contact with and between said molten precursor metal and said oxidant at said temperature to progressively draw molten precursor metal through said oxidation reaction product towards said oxidant to permit fresh oxidation reaction product to continue to form at an interface between said oxidant and previously formed oxidation reaction product that has infiltrated said permeable mass;
(f) continuing step (e) at said temperature for a time sufficient to infiltrate at least a portion of said permeable mass with said polycrystalline material, thereby forming said ceramic body comprising (a) said oxidation reaction product;
(b) a metallic constituent comprising unreacted precursor metal and (c) at least one second material;
(g) cooling said ceramic body;
(h) heating said ceramic body to a temperature above the melting point of at least a portion of said metallic constituent of said ceramic body;
and
(i) continuing step (h) at said temperature for a time sufficient to at least partially react said at least a portion of said metallic constituent and said at least one second material to form at least one reaction product, thereby producing said ceramic body comprising (a) said oxidation reaction product;
(b) a metallic constituent comprising said unreacted metallic constituent;
and at least one reaction product, wherein said at least one reaction product has a specific volume greater than the specific volume of said at least one-second material.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/356,335Filed 21 Feb 1995 · continuation in part
Priority: 17 Sep 1986
Granted: 27 May 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

C04B 35/652
Reaction sintering of free metal- or free silicon-containing compositions: directional oxidation or solidification, e.g. Lanxide process
C04B
Lime, magnesia

Family

Serial908,454Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Sep 1986
Serial152,518Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Feb 1988
Serial269,152Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Nov 1988
US 4,818,734 AParent of this continuation · filed 4 Apr 1989
Serial568,618Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Aug 1990
Serial793,933Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Nov 1991
US 5,066,618 AParent of this continuation · filed 19 Nov 1991
Serial904,739Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 26 Jun 1992
US 5,185,303 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 9 Feb 1993
US 5,268,339 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Dec 1993
US 5,633,213 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.