Sintered silicon carbide-titanium diboride mixtures and articles thereof

Abstract

Sintered articles made from binary compositions of silicon carbide and titanium diboride are described. The articles may be prepared by initially mixing finely-divided silicon carbide, carbon or a carbon source material, a densification or sintering aid, and finely-divided titanium diboride, forming the mixture into a desired shape and subsequently heating at temperatures sufficiently high to form a sintered ceramic article of silicon carbide and titanium diboride. When the present sintered ceramic articles contain high amounts of titanium diboride, generally between about 65 and about 95 percent, and more preferably, between about 80 and about 95 percent, by weight, they are quite electrically conductive, generally having less than 0.2 ohm-cm electrical resistivity, and are useful as electrical ignitors. Such articles are also extremely resistant to corrosion by molten aluminum and aluminum alloys; thus, they are aptly suited to use as electrodes in aluminum refining processes. When the present sintered ceramic articles contain high amounts of silicon carbide, generally between about 50 and about 95 percent by weight, they are characterized by high densities and high strengths, typically having MOR above 50,000 psi, and an extraordinary resistance to thermal shock. Such articles are particularly useful in the fabrication of diesel engine precombustion chambers and as honeycomb structures, such as those utilized in automobile emission control units.