Refractory metal ceramics and methods of making thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403723-B2
Application number	US-201414245111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2014
Priority date	Jan 26, 2012
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A composition having nanoparticles of a refractory-metal carbide or refractory-metal nitride and a carbonaceous matrix. The composition is not in the form of a powder. A composition comprising a metal component and an organic component. The metal component is nanoparticles or particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of decomposing into refractory metal nanoparticles. The organic component is an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight or a thermoset made from the organic compound. A method of combining particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of reacting or decomposing into refractory-metal nanoparticles with an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight to form a precursor mixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
combining particles of a refractory metal or a refractory metal hydride with an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight to form a precursor mixture.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
placing the precursor mixture into a mold.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
heating the precursor mixture in an inert atmosphere at a temperature that causes decomposition or reaction of the refractory-metal particles or the refractory metal hydride to form a metal nanoparticle composition comprising refractory-metal nanoparticles.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein heating the precursor mixture causes polymerization of the organic compound to a thermoset.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein heating the precursor mixture is performed at 150-600° C.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
heating the metal nanoparticle composition in an inert atmosphere, argon, or nitrogen at a temperature that causes formation of a ceramic comprising nanoparticles of a refractory-metal carbide or a refractory-metal nitride in a carbonaceous matrix.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein heating the metal nanoparticle composition is performed at 500-1900° C.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
heating the ceramic in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to form an oxide of the refractory metal on the surface of the ceramic.

9. A method comprising:
providing a precursor mixture of particles of a refractory metal or a refractory metal hydride and an organic compound;
heating the precursor mixture in an inert atmosphere at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and at a temperature that causes decomposition or reaction of the refractory-metal or the refractory metal hydride to form a metal nanoparticle composition comprising refractory-metal nanoparticles; and
heating the metal nanoparticle composition in an inert atmosphere, argon, or nitrogen at a temperature that causes formation of a ceramic comprising nanoparticles of a refractory-metal carbide or a refractory-metal nitride in a carbonaceous matrix;
wherein the organic compound has a char yield of at least 60% by weight when heated at the pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.

10. A method comprising:
combining particles of a refractory metal or a refractory metal hydride with an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight to form a precursor mixture;
heating the precursor mixture in an inert atmosphere at a temperature that causes decomposition or reaction of the refractory-metal compound or particles to form refractory-metal nanoparticles to form a metal nanoparticle composition;
heating the metal nanoparticle composition in an inert atmosphere, argon, or nitrogen at a temperature that causes formation of a ceramic comprising nanoparticles of a refractory-metal carbide or a refractory-metal nitride in a carbonaceous matrix; and
heating the ceramic in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to form an oxide of the refractory metal on the surface of the ceramic.

Assignees

• Keller Teddy M
• Saab Andrew
• Laskoski Matthew
• Kolel-Veetil Manoj K
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Keller Teddy M
• Saab Andrew
• Laskoski Matthew
• Kolel-Veetil Manoj K

Classifications

• C04B2235/3839

  Refractory metal carbides · CPC title

• C04B2235/422

  Carbon · CPC title

• C04B2235/3886

  Refractory metal nitrides, e.g. vanadium nitride, tungsten nitride · CPC title

• C04B2235/5248

  Carbon, e.g. graphite · CPC title

• C04B2235/3843

  Titanium carbides · CPC title