Inventors:
Marc S. Newkirk - Newark DE
Harry R. Zwicker - Glen Mills PA
Andrew W. Urquhart - Newark DE
Harold D. Lesher - Wilmington DE
Terry D. Claar - Newark DE
Michael K. Aghajanian - Bel Air MD
John P. Biel - Newark DE
Assignee:
Lanxide Technology Company, LP - Newark DE
International Classification:
C04B 3565, C04B 3558
Abstract:
A method of making self-supporting ceramic composite structures having filler embedded therein includes infiltrating a permeable mass of filler with polycrystalline material comprising an oxidation reaction product obtained by oxidation of a parent metal such as aluminum and optionally, containing therein non-oxidized constituents of the parent metal. The structure is formed by placing a parent metal adjacent to a permeable filler and heating the assembly to melt the parent metal and provide a molten body of parent metal which is contacted with a suitable vapor-phase oxidant. Within a certain temperature region and optionally, aided by one or more dopants in or on the parent metal, molten parent metal will migrate through previously formed oxidation reaction product into contact with the oxidant, causing the oxidation reaction product to grow so as to embed the adjacent filler and provide the composite structure. In a preferred embodiment, a parent metal comprising aluminum is oxidized by a vapor-phase oxidant comprising nitrogen to form a ceramic matrix comprising an aluminum nitride oxidation reaction product. In a particularly preferred embodiment, one or more protective coatings are applied to the filler prior to formation of the aluminum nitride oxidation reaction product matrix.