Elektroschmelzwerk Kempten Gmbh

Peter Arnold

Alfred Lipp

Klaus Reinmuth

Klaus Hunold

Johannes Napholcz

The invention is an improved theroelement which comprises a graphite/boron carbide thermocouple, the arms of which are constructed as a tube and a rod, arranged concentrically inside the tube, which are electrically connected at one end. One of the arms of the thermocouple consists essentially of boron carbide formed from self bonding boron carbide by pressureless sintering. Prefabricated sleeves of high-purity, boron-oxide-free hexagonal boron nitride are used between the arms of the thermocouple as spacers. Only the end of the arm of the thermocouple constructed as a rod is secured in an electrically conductive connecting piece and the arm is freely mobile in the direction towards the cold junction. As the material for the arm of the thermocouple constructed as a rod, there can be used, for example, boron carbide having a coarse-grained structure and a density of from 60 to 80% TD, which has been manufactured from boron carbide powder having bimodal particle size distribution by means of extrusion, followed by pressureless sintering at from 2000.degree. to 2250.degree. C. The thermoelement can also be manufactured in one operation by means of pressureless sintering of the boron carbide powder in situ. Such a thermoelement comprises, for example, a flexible graphite cord for the arm of the thermocouple constructed as a rod, a boron-nitride envelope and a boron-carbide casing, the envelope and casing having been formed from powders sintered in situ without pressure.

Thermoelement comprising a graphite/boron carbide thermocouple

The invention is a process for the manufacture of shaped articles of reaction-bonded silicon nitride in which pre-shaped articles of silicon powder are heated in a first stage under a nitrogen gas pressure of at least 6 MPa at a heating rate of not more than 50.degree. C. per hour to a reaction temperature below the melting point of silicon, the article is maintained at the reaction temperature for at least 0.5 hours and subsequently, in a second stage, heating the article at a heating rate of at least 500.degree. C. per hour to a temperature above the melting point of silicon and maintaining the article at that temperature for from 1 to 7 hours. The process can nitridate both pre-shaped articles consisting of silicon powder and, optionally, up to 15% by weight Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 powder and those containing up to 10% by weight of a sintering aid such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3. In the former case, porous shaped articles having a density of from 87 to 91% TD and, in the latter case, dense shaped articles having a density of more than 98% TD, are obtained. In all cases, in a total nitridation time of less than 15 hours, a conversion of at least 95% of the silicon originally present into silicon nitride is achieved, which, in the finished shaped article, is substantially in the .beta.-modification.

Process for the manufacture of shaped articles from reaction-bonded

The invention is a process for the manufacture of substantially pore-free shaped articles from polycrystalline material, such as tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, titanium boride or silicon carbide, in which encased articles preformed from pulverulent materials and having open pores are isostatically hot-pressed in a vacuum-sealed casing of vitreous or ceramic-like material in a high-pressure autoclave using an inert gas as pressure-transfer medium. Before the application of the casing material, a first layer comprising material that can be decomposed or melted, such as an organic wax or a resin-like product, or of a compressible heat-resistant material such as inorganic fibers or felts, is applied to the preformed articles. Then, the encased articles are thermally treated until the glass or ceramic layer is fused or sintered gas-tight. The articles pretreated in this manner are then isostatically hot-pressed.

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Sulzberg, Germany

Peter Arnold