Method for manufacturing whisker preforms and composites

Patent · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:870144

Lessing, Paul A ^[1]

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1. Idaho Falls, ID

A process for manufacturing Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /SiAlON whiskers by mixing silicon carbide powder with aluminum nitride powder, adding impurities such as calcium oxide or potassium chloride to control whisker characteristics, forming the mixture in a boron nitrogen mold of desired shaped and hot isostatically pressing the formed mixture in a nitrogen environment to produce whiskers comprised substantially of SiAlON at the nucleating end of the whisker and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 at the other end of the whisker. In one embodiment, reinforced composites are formed by impregnating the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /SiAlON whisker preform with a matrix material such as resin binders, liquid metals, intermetallics or ceramic materials.

• Research Organization: EG & G IDAHO INC
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• Assignee: Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Patent Number(s): US 5464583
• OSTI ID: 870144
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/264/501/
adding
adding impurities
aluminum
aluminum nitride
binders
boron
calcium
calcium oxide
carbide
carbide powder
ceramic
ceramic mater
ceramic material
ceramic materials
characteristics
chloride
composites
comprised
control
desired
desired shape
embodiment
environment
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hot
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impregnating
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isostatically
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liquid
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liquid metals
manufacturing
material
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matrix
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metals
method
mixing
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mixture
mold
nitride
nitride powder
nitrogen
nitrogen environment
nucleating
oxide
potassium
potassium chloride
powder
preform
preforms
pressing
process
produce
reinforced
reinforced composite
reinforced composites
resin
resin binder
shaped
sialon
silicon
silicon carbide
substantially
whisker
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