Nanoscale ordered composites of covalent ceramics for high-temperature structural applications via block-copolymer-assisted assembly and method of making

A ceramic material, said ceramic material being nonporous and comprising at least one ceramic phase, wherein said at least one ceramic phase has an ordered structure on a nanoscale, and wherein said ordered structure is thermally stable up to a temperature of at least about 800° C. and wherein said ceramic material is formed by:

• a) forming a homogenized mixture of at least one polymeric precursor of said at least one ceramic phase and at least one block copolymer;
• (b) forming said ordered structure by curing said at least one polymeric precursor and self-assembly of said at least one block copolymer;
• c) pyrolyzing said at least one polymeric precursor and said at least one block copolymer to decompose at least a portion of said block copolymer;
• and
• d) converting said at least one polymeric precursor to form said at least one ceramic phase, said at least one ceramic phase having an ordered structure.

A ceramic material, said ceramic material being nonporous and comprising at least one ceramic phase, wherein said at least one ceramic phase comprises one of an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, a boride, and combinations thereof, and has an ordered structure on a nanoscale, wherein said ordered structure is thermally stable up to a temperature of at least about 800° C., and wherein said at least one ceramic phase is formed by:

• a) forming a homogenized mixture of at least one polymeric precursor of said at least one ceramic phase and at least one block copolymer;
• b) forming said ordered structure by curing said at least one polymeric precursor and self-assembly of said at least one block copolymer;
• c) pyrolyzing said at least one polymeric precursor and said at least one block copolymer to remove said at least one block copolymer;
• and
• d) converting said at least one polymeric precursor to form said at least one ceramic phase, said at least one ceramic phase having an ordered structure.