General Atomics, Inc.

Hesham Ezzat Khalifa

Christian Peter Deck

Christina Allyssa Back

Jiping Zhang

Jonathan David Sheeder

Robert Warren Stemke

Gokul Vasudevamurthy

Brian Stephen Austin

Carlos Bacalski

Eric Song

This patent document relates to systems, structures, devices, and fabrication processes for ceramic matrix composites suitable for use in a nuclear reactor environment and other applications requiring materials that can withstand high temperatures and/or highly corrosive environments. In one exemplary aspect, a method of joining and sealing ceramic structures is disclosed. The method comprises forming a joint of a ceramic structure and an end plug using a sealing material, wherein the end plug has a hole that goes through a top surface and a bottom surface of the end plug; filling the ceramic structure with a desired gas composition through the hole; heating a material into a molten form using a heat source; and directing the material into the hole, wherein the material solidifies to seal the end plug.

Joining and sealing pressurized ceramic structures

Embodiments of the present invention provide high durability joints between ceramic articles, particularly between beta-silicon carbide (&#x3b2;-SiC) articles, and methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, a joint between first and second articles each comprising a ceramic polymorph comprises a matrix comprising the ceramic polymorph and extending between the first and second articles; a plurality of inclusions comprising the ceramic polymorph and being distributed throughout the matrix; and a sealing layer comprising the ceramic polymorph and being respectively disposed on the first and second articles and the matrix.

High durability joints between ceramic articles, and methods of making and using same

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La Jolla, CA, United States of America

Hesham Ezzat Khalifa