# US 9,751,686 B2 · Sinter bonded containment tube > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,686 B2 - Document ID: US9751686B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/015,986 - Filed: 2016-02-04 - Published: 2016-06-02 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-22 - Assignees: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc. - Applicants: Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc.; Saint-Gobain Abrasifs - Inventors: Lawrence M. Banach; John M. Bevilacqua; Steven W. Lanzone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751686B2 ## CPC - B65D 85/70: {for materials not otherwise provided for} - B65B 5/02: Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles - B65B 7/2821: {applying plugs or threadless stoppers (for bottles or jars B67B1/04)} - B65B 51/10: Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof {(welding of plastics per se B29C65/02; closing plastic tube ends in general B29C57/10)} - B65D 39/0005: {made in one piece (B65D39/02, B65D39/04, B65D39/06, B65D39/08 take precedence)} - B65D 81/00: Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents - C04B 35/565: based on silicon carbide - C04B 37/001: {directly with other burned ceramic articles} - G21C 3/07: characterised by their material, e.g. alloys - G21C 3/10: End closures {; Means for tight mounting therefor} - G21C 21/02: Manufacture of fuel elements or breeder elements contained in non-active casings - Y02E 30/30: Nuclear fission reactors - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - G21C: NUCLEAR REACTORS (fusion reactors, hybrid fission-fusion reactors G21B; nuclear explosives G21J) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A containment tube includes a sealed tube comprising silicon carbide, first and second ends, an inner bore extending along at least a portion of its axial length between the first and second ends, and contains a radioactive material within the bore of the sealed tube. The first end has a plug residing in the inner bore to close the first end, and the second end has a distal wall that closes the inner bore at the second. At least one of the first or second ends is bonded to the sealed tube by a sinter bond. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A containment tube comprising: a sintered tube comprising silicon carbide; a generally constant diameter along an axial length of the sintered tube; and a plug comprising silicon carbide, wherein the plug is sinter-bonded to the sintered tube, wherein the sintered tube is sealed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The containment tube of claim 1, the sintered tube, the plug, or both comprise at least 70 wt % of silicon carbide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The containment tube of claim 2, the sintered tube, the plug, or both comprise at least 90 wt % of silicon carbide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The containment tube of claim 1, wherein the sintered tube has first and second ends and an inner bore extending along at least a portion of its axial length between the first and second ends, the first end having the plug residing in the inner bore to close the first end, and the second end having a distal wall that closes the inner bore at the second end. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The containment tube of claim 1, wherein the sintered tube contains a radioactive material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The containment tube of claim 1, wherein the sintered tube has: a Shear Strength not less than about 25 MPa; or a Nitrogen Seal Performance of not greater than 10%; or a Helium Seal Performance of not greater than 10%; or a Vacuum Seal Performance of not greater than 10%; or any combination thereof. ### Claim 7 A containment tube comprising: a tube comprising silicon carbide and having a first end, a closed second end, and an inner bore extending between the first end and the second end; and a plug sinter-bonded to an inner wall of the tube proximate to the first end of the tube and configured to close the first end of the tube. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The containment tube of claim 7, wherein the tube comprising silicon carbide is hermetically sealed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The containment tube of claim 7, wherein the second end has a distal wall integrated to an outer wall of the tube comprising silicon carbide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The containment tube of claim 7, wherein the tube comprising silicon carbide has a generally constant diameter along an axial length of the tube. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The containment tube of claim 7, wherein the tube comprises at least 70 wt % of silicon carbide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The containment tube of claim 7, wherein the plug comprises at least 70 wt % of silicon carbide. ### Claim 13 A method of forming a containment tube, comprising: providing a green ceramic tube having a first end that is unsealed and a second end that is sealed; partially sintering the green ceramic tube, leaving the first end unsintered or incompletely sintered; inserting a sintered plug into the first end; and sealing the first end by sintering the first end together with the sintered plug. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising forming the green ceramic tube by extrusion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein partially sintering comprises leaving the unsealed end incompletely sintered so that the first end of the tube is not shrunk to final dimensions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein sealing the first end comprises applying localized heat to the first end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising placing a radioactive material into the partially sintered tube via the first end prior to inserting a sintered plug into the first end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the ceramic tube, the plug, or both comprises at least 70 wt % of silicon carbide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising removing surface contaminants from an inner circumferential surface of the first end of the tube, an outer circumferential surface of the plug, or both.