# US 9,751,808 B2 · Method for pyrolyzing preceramic polymer material using electromagnetic radiation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,808 B2 - Document ID: US9751808B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/028,517 - Filed: 2014-09-30 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-14 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Imelda P. Smyth; Douglas M. Berczik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751808B2 ## CPC - C04B 35/571: obtained from {Si-containing} polymer precursors {or organosilicon monomers} - C04B 35/5603: {with a well-defined oxygen content, e.g. oxycarbides} - C04B 35/65: Reaction sintering of free metal- or free silicon-containing compositions {(C04B35/573, C04B35/591 take precedence)} - C04B 35/76: Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like - C04B 35/80: Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like - C04B 2235/3821: Boron carbides - C04B 2235/3826: Silicon carbides - C04B 2235/3839: Refractory metal carbides - C04B 2235/3843: Titanium carbides - C04B 2235/3847: Tungsten carbides - C04B 2235/3865: Aluminium nitrides - C04B 2235/3886: Refractory metal nitrides, e.g. vanadium nitride, tungsten nitride - C04B 2235/40: Metallic constituents or additives not added as binding phase - C04B 2235/404: Refractory metals - C04B 2235/405: Iron group metals - C04B 2235/408: Noble metals - C04B 2235/483: Si-containing organic compounds, e.g. silicone resins, (poly)silanes, (poly)siloxanes or (poly)silazanes - C04B 2235/5244: Silicon carbide - C04B 2235/667: Sintering using wave energy, e.g. microwave sintering - 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 ## Abstract Disclosed is a method for fabricating a ceramic material from a preceramic polymer material. The method includes providing a preceramic polymer material that has a preceramic polymer and an electromagnetic radiation-responsive component. The electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is selected from boron-containing compounds, cobalt, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, nitrides of aluminum, nitrides of titanium, nitrides of zirconium, nitrides of hafnium, nitrides of tantalum, nitrides of tungsten, nitrides of rhenium, carbides of aluminum, carbides of titanium, carbides of zirconium, carbides of hafnium, carbides of tantalum, carbides of tungsten, carbides of rhenium and combinations thereof. An electromagnetic radiation is applied to the preceramic polymer material. The electromagnetic radiation interacts with the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component to generate heat that converts the preceramic polymer to a ceramic material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating a ceramic material from a preceramic polymer material, the method comprising: providing a preceramic polymer material that includes a preceramic polymer and an electromagnetic radiation-responsive component, the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component selected from the group consisting of boron-containing compounds, nitrides of aluminum, nitrides of titanium, nitrides of zirconium, nitrides of hafnium, nitrides of tantalum, nitrides of tungsten, nitrides of rhenium, carbides of aluminum, carbides of titanium, carbides of zirconium, carbides of hafnium, carbides of tantalum, carbides of tungsten, carbides of rhenium and combinations thereof; and applying electromagnetic radiation to the preceramic polymer material, the electromagnetic radiation interacting with the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component to generate heat that converts the preceramic polymer to a ceramic phase. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is the boron-containing compound. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the boron-containing compound includes boron carbide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is selected from the group consisting of nitrides of aluminum, nitrides of titanium, nitrides of zirconium, nitrides of hafnium, nitrides of tantalum, nitrides of tungsten, nitrides of rhenium, carbides of aluminum, carbides of titanium, carbides of zirconium, carbides of hafnium, carbides of tantalum, carbides of tungsten, carbides of rhenium and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is particulate dispersed through the preceramic polymer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the preceramic polymer includes, by volume, 0.1%-10% of the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the preceramic polymer includes, by volume, 0.1%-1% of the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, including applying the electromagnetic radiation to the preceramic polymer material in an atmosphere of primarily argon, nitrogen or argon/nitrogen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is microwave radiation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is selected from the group consisting of nitrides of aluminum, nitrides of titanium, nitrides of zirconium, nitrides of hafnium, nitrides of tantalum, nitrides of tungsten, nitrides of rhenium, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is particulate dispersed through the preceramic polymer, and the preceramic polymer includes, by volume, 0.1%-1% of the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is selected from the group consisting of carbides of aluminum, carbides of titanium, carbides of zirconium, carbides of hafnium, carbides of tantalum, carbides of tungsten, carbides of rhenium and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is particulate dispersed through the preceramic polymer, and the preceramic polymer includes, by volume, 0.1%-1% of the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component. ### Claim 14 A method for fabricating a ceramic material from a preceramic polymer material, the method comprising: providing a preform that includes a fiber structure and preceramic polymer material within the fiber structure, the preceramic polymer material includes a preceramic polymer and an electromagnetic radiation-responsive component, the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component selected from the group consisting of boron-containing compounds, nitrides of aluminum, nitrides of titanium, nitrides of zirconium, nitrides of hafnium, nitrides of tantalum, nitrides of tungsten, nitrides of rhenium, carbides of aluminum, carbides of titanium, carbides of zirconium, carbides of hafnium, carbides of tantalum, carbides of tungsten, carbides of rhenium and combinations thereof; and applying electromagnetic radiation to the preform, the electromagnetic radiation interacting with the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component to generate heat that converts the preceramic polymer to a ceramic phase. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is the boron-containing compound. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the boron-containing compound includes boron carbide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component is particulate dispersed through the preceramic polymer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the preceramic polymer includes, by volume, 0.1%-10% of the electromagnetic radiation-responsive component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is microwave radiation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the fiber structure includes silicon carbide fibers, and the ceramic phase is silicon carbide.