US2012171463A1PendingUtilityA1

Silicon carbide body and method of forming same

44
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 30, 2010Filed: Dec 30, 2011Published: Jul 5, 2012
Est. expiryDec 30, 2030(~4.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Christopher J. ReillyYu Zhong
Y10T428/249969C04B 41/5031C04B 41/009C04B 35/6316C04B 2235/3217Y10T428/249921C04B 41/86C04B 2235/663C04B 2235/428C04B 41/5037C04B 2235/3826C04B 35/565C04B 2235/6586C04B 2235/658C04B 41/5022C04B 2235/405C04B 41/87C04B 2235/3272C04B 35/622C04B 2235/46
44
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Claims

Abstract

A method of forming a ceramic article including providing a ceramic body comprising silicon carbide, and treating the ceramic body in an atmosphere comprising an oxidizing material to remove a portion of the ceramic body through a chemical reaction between a portion of the ceramic body and the oxidizing material.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of forming a ceramic article comprising:
 providing a ceramic body comprising silicon carbide; and   treating the ceramic body in an atmosphere comprising an oxidizing material to remove a portion of the ceramic body through a chemical reaction between a portion of the ceramic body and the oxidizing material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises oxygen. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises carbon. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises a gaseous material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein treating comprises providing the oxidizing material into a chamber containing the ceramic body at a flow rate of at least about 1 standard cubic foot per hour (scfh) (0.028 cubic meters per hour). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein during treating the oxidizing material is provided into the chamber at a flow rate of at least about 2 scfh (0.057 cubic meters per hour). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein during treating the oxidizing material is provided into the chamber at a flow rate of at least about 3 scfh (0.085 cubic meters per hour). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein during treating the oxidizing material is provided into the chamber at a flow rate of at least about 4 scfh (0.11 cubic meters per hour). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein during treating the oxidizing material is provided into the chamber at a flow rate of not greater than about 200 scfh (5.7 cubic meters per hour). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the oxidizing material consists essentially of carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating the ceramic body comprises removing material from an exterior surface of the ceramic body. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating the ceramic body comprises removing material from pores extending into the ceramic body. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating the ceramic body comprises removing fibrous material from the ceramic body. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chemical reaction includes a phase transition of the portion of the ceramic body removed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the phase transition includes a change of solid material to gaseous material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chemical reaction includes oxidation of a portion of the ceramic body by the oxidizing material to create a reaction product including an oxide material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the oxide material comprises silicon. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the oxide material consists essentially of silicon monoxide. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the oxide material comprises a gas. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the oxide material comprises carbon. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the oxide material comprises carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chemical reaction includes oxidation of a portion of the ceramic body by the oxidizing material to create a reaction product including a nitrogen material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the nitrogen material comprises a gas. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the nitrogen material consists essentially of nitrogen gas. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating includes operating at a reaction temperature of at least about 800° C. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the reaction temperature is at least about 900° C. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the reaction temperature is at least about 950° C. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the reaction temperature is at least about 1000° C. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein treating includes operating at a reaction temperature of not greater than about 2000° C. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the reaction temperature is not greater than about 1800° C. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the reaction temperature is not greater than about 1500° C. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the reaction temperature is not greater than about 1300° C. 
     
     
         35 . A method of forming a ceramic article comprising:
 providing a ceramic body comprising a fibrous material overlying an exterior surface of the ceramic body; and   treating the ceramic body with a gaseous reactant material to remove the fibrous material from the ceramic body through a chemical reaction between the gaseous reactant material and the fibrous material.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the gaseous reactant material comprises an oxidizing material. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the oxidizing material comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein treating comprises providing the gaseous reactant material into a chamber containing the ceramic body at a flow rate of at least about 1 standard cubic foot per hour (scfh) (0.028 cubic meters per hour). 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein treating the ceramic body comprises removing the fibrous material from pores within the ceramic body. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the chemical reaction includes a phase transition of the portion of the fibrous material from a solid phase material to a gas phase material. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the chemical reaction includes oxidation of the fibrous material to form a reaction product comprising an oxide material. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the oxide material comprises silicon monoxide. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the oxide material comprises carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the chemical reaction includes oxidation of the fibrous material to form a reaction product comprising a nitrogen material. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the nitrogen material consists essentially of nitrogen gas. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein treating includes operating at a reaction temperature of at least about 800° C. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein treating includes operating at a reaction temperature of not greater than about 2000° C. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising firing the ceramic body prior to treating. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein firing is conducted at a firing temperature of at least about 800° C. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein firing is conducted at a firing temperature of at least about 900° C. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein firing is conducted at a firing temperature of at least about 1000° C. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein firing is conducted at a firing temperature of not greater than about 2000° C. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein firing is conducted at a firing temperature of not greater than about 1800° C. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein firing is conducted at a firing temperature of not greater than about 1500° C. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein firing is conducted for a firing duration of at least about 1 hour. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein firing is conducted for a firing duration of at least about 10 hours. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein treating comprises cooling the ceramic body after conducting a firing operation. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein cooling comprises reducing a temperature of a chamber containing the ceramic body from a firing temperature 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein treating is conducted for a treatment duration of at least about 10 minutes. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein treating is conducted for a treatment duration of at least about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein treating is conducted for a treatment duration of at least about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein treating is conducted for a treatment duration of not greater than about 24 hours. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein treating is conducted for a treatment duration of not greater than about 12 hours. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein treating is conducted for a treatment duration of not greater than about 8 hours. 
     
     
         65 . A method of forming a ceramic article comprising:
 firing a ceramic body comprising silicon carbide in a first atmosphere; and   treating the ceramic body in a second atmosphere after firing, wherein the second atmosphere is different than the first atmosphere and comprises a reactant material that chemically reacts with the ceramic body and removes a portion of the ceramic body.   
     
     
         66 . A ceramic article comprising:
 a body comprising nitride-bonded silicon carbide, wherein the body comprises pores at an exterior surface and a majority of the pores are defined by smooth, non-fibrous surfaces when viewed at a magnification of at least 1000× for at least 2 random locations across the exterior surface of the body.   
     
     
         67 . The ceramic article of  claim 66 , wherein the body comprises an open porosity within the body of at least about 2 vol % for a total amount of porosity within the body. 
     
     
         68 . The ceramic article of  claim 66 , wherein the body comprises a density of at least about 75% of theoretical density. 
     
     
         69 . The ceramic article of  claim 66 , wherein the body consists essentially of nitride-bonded silicon carbide. 
     
     
         70 . The ceramic article of  claim 66 , wherein the body comprises a coating layer overlying the body. 
     
     
         71 . The ceramic article of  claim 70 , wherein the coating layer comprises an oxide. 
     
     
         72 . The ceramic article of  claim 70 , wherein the coating layer comprises an amorphous phase. 
     
     
         73 . A ceramic article comprising:
 a body comprising nitrogen-bonded silicon carbide having a non-fibrous exterior surface, wherein a non-fibrous exterior surface is defined by a surface having not greater than 10 fibers per 100 square microns at a magnification of at least 1000× for at least 2 random locations across the exterior surface of the body.   
     
     
         74 . The ceramic article of  claim 73 , wherein the exterior surface is defined by a surface having not greater than 5 fibers per 100 square microns at a magnification of at least 1000× for at least 2 random locations across the exterior surface of the body. 
     
     
         75 . The ceramic article of  claim 73 , wherein the exterior surface is defined by a surface having not greater than 1 fiber per 100 square microns at a magnification of at least 1000× for at least 2 random locations across the exterior surface of the body.

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