Intermetallic-containing composite bodies, and methods for making same

Abstract

Composite bodies made by a silicon metal infiltration process that feature a silicon intermetallic, e.g., a metal silicide. 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.

1 . A composite body, comprising:
 a first component comprising silicon carbide; and   a second component comprising at least one intermetallic comprising a silicide, at least a portion of which second component is interconnected, and wherein said first component and said second component are intermixed.   
     
     
         2 . The composite body of  claim 1 , wherein said silicide comprises at least one titanium silicide. 
     
     
         3 . The composite body of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one titanium silicide comprises TiSi 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The composite body of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of elemental titanium and elemental silicon. 
     
     
         5 . The composite body of  claim 1 , further comprising a third component comprising at least one reinforcement material distributed throughout said second component. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The composite body of  claim 5 , wherein said reinforcement material consists essentially of at least one form selected from the group consisting of particles, platelets, flakes and hollow spheres. 
     
     
         8 . The composite body of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one reinforcement material comprises SiC. 
     
     
         9 . The composite body of  claim 5 , wherein said reinforcement material comprises bodies ranging in size from submicron to about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . The composite body of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said silicon carbide is in the alpha form. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The composite body of  claim 1 , wherein said silicon carbide makes up no more than about 12 percent by volume of said composite body. 
     
     
         14 . The composite body of  claim 5 , wherein said reinforcement material comprises a plurality of individual bodies, and wherein said composite body further comprises a microstructure that displays only a small or light amount of interconnectivity between adjacent bodies of reinforcement material. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for making a silicon carbide composite material, comprising:
 providing a porous mass comprising at least one reinforcement material and not more than about 10 percent by weight of infiltration-facilitating carbon;   providing an infiltrant material comprising silicon and at least one metal comprising titanium;   heating said infiltrant material to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of said infiltrant material to form a molten infiltrant material;   communicating said molten infiltrant material into contact with said porous mass;   infiltrating said molten infiltrant material into said porous mass, and reacting at least a portion of said silicon with at least a portion of said carbon to form silicon carbide, and reacting at least a further portion of said silicon with at least a portion of said titanium to form at least one silicide of titanium, thereby forming a composite body comprising silicon carbide, said at least one reinforcement material, and at least one silicide of titanium.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising residual molten infiltrant material. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said reinforcement material comprises at least one of silicon nitride and titanium diboride. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of claim  21 , wherein said free carbon is formed by introducing a carbohydrate-based resin into said preform, and thermally decomposing the resin in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. 
     
     
         23 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said infiltrating is conducted in a non-oxidizing environment. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said infiltrant material comprises at least 10 percent by weight of said titanium. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one reinforcement material comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of carbides, borides, nitrides and oxides. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said porous mass comprises not more than about 5 percent by weight of said infiltration-facilitating carbon. 
     
     
         33 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method for making a composite material, comprising:
 providing a porous mass comprising at least one reinforcement material and containing essentially no infiltration-facilitating carbon;   providing an infiltrant material comprising silicon and at least one metal comprising titanium;   heating said infiltrant material to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of said infiltrant material to form a molten infiltrant material;   communicating said molten infiltrant material into contact with said porous mass;   infiltrating said molten infiltrant material into said porous mass and reacting at least a portion of said titanium with at least a portion of said silicon to form a composite body comprising said at least one reinforcement material, and at least one silicon-containing intermetallic compound distributed through said at least one reinforcement material; and   solidifying said molten infiltrant material.   
     
     
         36 . An article of manufacture selected from the group consisting of a component of a semiconductor wafer handling device, an air bearing support frame, an electronic package, an electronic substrate, a mirror substrate, a mirror stage, a semiconductor wafer chuck, a machine tool bridge, a machine tool base and a flat panel display setter, said article comprising:
 a composite material comprising at least one reinforcement material, and a residual infiltrant component distributed throughout said at least one reinforcement material, said residual infiltrant component comprising at least one intermetallic compound comprising silicon.   
     
     
         37 . The article of manufacture of  claim 36 , wherein said at least one intermetallic compound comprises a silicide of titanium. 
     
     
         38 - 39 . (canceled)