Methods of fabricating ceramic preforms with 2-D channels and structures produced thereby

Abstract

Methods are provided for making ceramic preforms having two-dimensional interconnected channels therein. The methods include (i) positioning a sacrificial material having a selected profile within a bed of ceramic powder; (ii) compacting the bed of ceramic powder to form a compacted mass; (iii) heating the compacted mass to thermally transform the sacrificial materials into a fluid without cracking the compacted mass; and (iv) removing the fluid from the compacted mass, thereby leaving a two-dimensional network of interconnected channels having the selected profile of the sacrificial material within the compacted mass. Ceramic preforms are also provided which include a compacted mass of ceramic powder and two-dimensional interconnected channels therein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.