Lanxide Technology Company, LP

M Cubed Technologies, Inc.

Other

Michael A Richmond

Michael K Aghajanian

Allyn L McCormick

W Michael Waggoner

Vilupanur Alwar Ravi

Barry R Rossing

Terry D Claar

Barry Robert Rossing

Alan S Nagelberg

John T Burke

Philip J Roach

Marlene Rossing, Legal Representative

Brian E Schultz

Philip Joseph Roach

Chwen Chih Yang

Charles Robert Banning

Composite bodies made by a silicon metal infiltration process that feature a metal phase in addition to any residual silicon phase. Not only does this give the composite material engineer greater flexibility in designing or tailoring the physical properties of the resulting composite material, but the infiltrant also can be engineered compositionally to have much diminished amounts of expansion upon solidification, thereby enhancing net-shape-making capabilities. These and other consequences of engineering the metal component of composite bodies made by silicon infiltration permit the fabrication of large structures of complex shape. Certain liquid-based preforming techniques are particularly well suited to the task, particularly where a high volumetric loading of the reinforcement component is desired.

Silicon-containing composite bodies, and methods for making same

Improved silicon carbide composites made by an infiltration process feature a metal phase in addition to any residual silicon phase. Not only are properties such as mechanical toughness improved, but the infiltrant can be so engineered as to have much diminished amounts of expansion upon solidification, thereby enhancing net-shape-making capabilities. Further, multi-component infiltrant materials may have a lower liquidus temperature than pure silicon, thereby providing the practitioner greater control over the infiltration process. In particular, the infiltration may be conducted at the lower temperatures, where low-cost but effective bedding or barrier materials can terminate the infiltration process once the infiltrant has migrated through the permeable mass up to the boundary between the mass and the bedding material.

Silicon carbide composites, and methods for making same

Techniques to bond two or more smaller bodies or subunits to produce a unitary SiC composite structure extend the capabilities of reaction-bonded silicon carbide, for example, by making possible the fabrication of complex shapes. In a first aspect of the present invention, two or more preforms are bonded together with a binder material that imparts at least strength sufficient for handling during subsequent thermal processing. In a second aspect of the present invention, instead of providing the subunits to be bonded in the form of preforms, the subunits may be dense, SiC composite bodies, e.g., RBSC bodies. In each of the above embodiments, a preferable means for bonding two or more subunits combines aspects of adhesive and mechanical locking characteristics. One way to accomplish this objective is to incorporate a mechanical locking feature to the joining means, e.g., a 'keyway' feature. The mechanical locking feature thus substitutes for, or supplements the binder qualities of the adhesive, which is especially important when the adhesive itself may be or become weak due to, for example, thermal processing.

Methods for making composite bonded structures

Silicon carbide composites and methods for making same

The present invention relates to a novel method for forming cast metal matrix composite bodies. In particular, the present invention relates to a novel method for forming or recycling metal matrix composite bodies so as to render such bodies in a condition for casting or recasting as a cast metal matrix composite body. Specifically, a scrap metal matrix composite body and preferably a scrap cast metal matrix composite body is placed into a crucible, optionally along with unreinforced matrix metal and/or virgin metal matrix composite material. Whether the scrap and/or virgin materials are placed into the crucible in solid or molten form, the contents of the crucible are ultimately rendered molten to form a composite melt. A means for applying high shearing rates to the composite melt, such as an impeller rotating at high speed is immersed into the composite melt and the composite melt is sheared for a time sufficient to comminute any entrained inclusions such as entrapped oxide skins to a size at which such comminuted inclusions are substantially ameliorated in terms of their effect on the fluidity of the composite melt and the mechanical properties of the subsequent cast metal matrix composite bodies. Upon conclusion of the high intensity shearing process, the high power shearing apparatus is removed from the composite melt and the composite melt is cast using appropriate techniques for casting metal matrix composite material.

Method for manufacturing castable metal matrix composite bodies and bodies produced thereby

This invention relates generally to a novel directed metal oxidation process which is utilized to produce self-supporting bodies. In some of the more specific aspects of the invention, a parent metal (e.g., a parent metal vapor) is induced to react with at least one solid oxidant-containing material to result in the directed growth of a reaction product which is formed from a reaction between the parent metal and the solid oxidant-containing material. The inventive process can be utilized to form bodies having substantially homogeneous compositions, graded compositions, and macrocomposite bodies. In a preferred embodiment, a substance comprising a filler material and a solid oxidant, preferably an admixture of particulates, is coated onto at least a portion of the solid oxidant-containing material. Such a technique is particularly advantageous for forming relatively thick reaction product layers which might not otherwise develop to the desired thickness using the original 'directed growth' embodiment. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solid oxidant and the solid oxidant-containing material have the same chemical composition, and the filler material and the reaction product have the same chemical composition.

Method for making self-supporting composite bodies

This invention relates generally to a novel directed metal oxidation process which is utilized to produce self-supporting bodies. In some of the more specific aspects of the invention, a parent metal (e.g., a parent metal vapor) is induced to react with at least one solid oxidant-containing material to result in the directed growth of a reaction product which is formed from a reaction between the parent metal and the solid oxidant-containing material. The inventive process can be utilized to form bodies having substantially homogeneous compositions, graded compositions, and macrocomposite bodies. In a preferred embodiment, the reaction product may be chemically modified or a different reaction product may be coated thereon. Specifically, once a first reaction product is formed on a solid oxidant-containing material, the formed body may be exposed to a vapor-phase parent metal different from the first parent metal. Alternatively, the formed body may be exposed to a vapor-phase oxidant having a different chemical composition then the solid oxidant-containing material. Still further, a non-stoichiometric reaction product deficient in the oxidant component may be made more stoichiometric by heating the self-supporting body in the absence of reaction product growth conditions at a temperature and for a time sufficient to effect diffusion of additional oxidant from the solid oxidant-containing material into the sub-stoichiometric reaction product, thereby increasing its stoichiometry.

Method for making self supporting composite bodies

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Newark, DE, United States of America

Michael A Richmond