Method of making a functionally graded material
- Oak Ridge, TN
- Clinton, TN
A gelcasting method of making an internally graded article includes the steps of: preparing at least two slurries, each of the slurries including a different gelcastable powder suspended in a gelcasting solution, the slurries characterized by having comparable shrinkage upon drying and sintering thereof; casting the slurries into a mold having a selected shape, wherein relative proportions of the slurries is varied in at least one direction within the selected shape; gelling the slurries to form a solid gel while preserving the variation in relative proportions of the slurries; drying the gel to form a dried green body; and sintering the dry green body to form a solid object, at least one property thereof varying because of the variation in relative proportions of the starting slurries. A gelcasting method of making an internally graded article alternatively includes the steps of: preparing a slurry including a least two different phases suspended in a gelcasting solution, the phases characterized by having different settling characteristics; casting the slurry into a mold having a selected shape; allowing the slurry to stand for a sufficient period of time to permit desired gravitational fractionation in order to achieve a vertical compositional gradient in the molded slurry; gelling the slurry to form a solid gel while preserving the vertical compositional gradient in the molded slurry; drying the gel to form a dried green body; and sintering the dry green body to form a solid object, at least one property thereof varying along the vertical direction because of the compositional gradient in the molded slurry.
- Research Organization:
- LOCKHEED MARTIN ENERGY RES COR
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- Assignee:
- UT-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 6248286
- OSTI ID:
- 873791
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Tailoring suspension flow for the gelcasting of oxide and nonoxide ceramics
Gelcasting of sub-micron alumina, sialon, and silicon nitride powders
Related Subjects
achieve
allowing
alternatively
article
casting
casting method
casting solution
characteristics
characterized
comparable
compositional
desired
direction
dried
dry
drying
form
fractionation
functionally
gelcastable
gelcasting
gelcasting method
gelling
graded
gradient
gravitational
green
including
internally
material
method
mold
molded
period
permit
phases
powder
preparing
preserving
property
proportions
relative
selected
selected shape
settling
shape
shrinkage
sintering
slurries
slurry
slurry including
solid
solution
stand
starting
steps
sufficient
sufficient period
suspended
time
variation
varied
varying
vertical
vertical direction