Methods Of Fabricating Ceramic Or Intermetallic Parts

Abstract

A part includes a three-dimensional porous metallic workpiece printed via an additive manufacturing process and subsequently subjected to a diffusion-based process to convert at least a portion of the porous metallic workpiece to a ceramic workpiece or an intermetallic workpiece.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a part, comprising:
 printing a three-dimensional porous metallic workpiece via an additive manufacturing process; and   subjecting the porous metallic workpiece to a diffusion-based process and thereby converting at least a portion of the porous metallic workpiece to a ceramic workpiece or an intermetallic workpiece,   wherein the porous metallic workpiece comprises a metal or a metal alloy that forms one of a carbide, a nitride, a boride, an oxide, a silicide, or an intermetallic upon being subjected to a reaction atmosphere of the diffusion-based process.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising infiltrating the ceramic workpiece or the intermetallic workpiece with a binder material and thereby producing a composite. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein infiltrating the ceramic workpiece or the intermetallic workpiece with a binder material comprises:
 liquefying the binder material; and   infiltrating at least a portion of a porous network of the ceramic workpiece or the intermetallic workpiece with a liquefied binder material.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising penetrating at least a portion of a porous network of the porous metallic workpiece with a media of the reaction atmosphere, wherein the media is selected from the group consisting of methane, air, oxygen, endogas, exogas, nitrogen, ammonia, charcoal, carbon, graphite, nitriding salts, boron, silicon, a vaporized metal, a molten metal, and any combination thereof 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein subjecting the porous metallic workpiece to the diffusion-based process comprises masking at least a portion of the porous metallic workpiece and thereby preventing a media of the reaction atmosphere from accessing at least a portion of the porous metallic workpiece. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising terminating the diffusion-based process prematurely to prevent a media of the reaction atmosphere from accessing at least a portion of the porous metallic workpiece. 
     
     
         7 . A method of fabricating a drill bit, comprising:
 positioning one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces into a mold assembly that defines at least a portion of an infiltration chamber, wherein each ceramic or intermetallic workpiece is made by:
 printing a three-dimensional porous metallic workpiece via an additive manufacturing process; and 
 subjecting the porous metallic workpiece to a diffusion-based process and thereby converting at least a portion of the porous metallic workpiece to a ceramic workpiece or an intermetallic workpiece, wherein the porous metallic workpiece comprises a metal or a metal alloy that forms one of a carbide, a nitride, a boride, an oxide, a silicide, or an intermetallic upon being subjected to a reaction atmosphere of the diffusion-based process; 
   depositing reinforcing materials into the infiltration chamber; and   infiltrating the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces and the reinforcing materials with a binder material and thereby producing a composite.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein infiltrating the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces with the binder material comprises:
 liquefying the binder material; and   infiltrating at least a portion of a porous network of the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces with a liquefied binder material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising penetrating at least a portion of a porous network of the porous metallic workpiece with a media of the reaction atmosphere, wherein the media is selected from the group consisting of methane, air, oxygen, endogas, exogas, nitrogen, ammonia, charcoal, carbon, graphite, nitriding salts, boron, silicon, a vaporized metal, a molten metal, and any combination thereof 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein infiltrating the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces with the binder material comprises infiltrating the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces with a binder material selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, aluminum, molybdenum, chromium, manganese, tin, zinc, lead, silicon, tungsten, boron, phosphorous, gold, silver, palladium, indium, titanium, vanadium, zirconium, niobium, hafnium, tantalum, rhenium, ruthenium, osmium, iridium, and alloy thereof 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the mold assembly defines one or more cutter pockets, and wherein positioning the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces into the mold assembly comprises positioning the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces adjacent or near the one or more cutter pockets. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the mold assembly defines one or more blade regions, and wherein positioning the one or more ceramic or intermetallic workpieces into the mold assembly comprises positioning at least one ceramic or intermetallic workpiece into each blade region.