Composite by compression

Claim 1

What is claimed and sought to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows: 1. A process for producing a composite comprised of from about 1% by volume to about 90% by volume of ceramic filler phase and from about 10% by volume to about 99% by volume of continuous polycrystalline matrix phase, said composite having a porosity of less than about 10% by volume, which comprises forming a mixture of a ceramic filler and a material for forming said matrix phase in amounts required to produce said composite, said matrix-forming material being selected from the group consisting of barium silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, strontium silicate, zirconium silicate, barium aluminosilicate, calcium aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicate, strontium aluminosilicate, lithium aluminosilicate, and mixtures thereof and compressing said mixture at a temperature at which said matrix-forming material is molten under a pressure sufficient to produce said composite. 2. The process according to claim 1 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is an alkaline earth silicate represented by the stoichiometric formula xMO·zSiO₂ where M=Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr and a mixture thereof, where x is 1, 2 or 3 and z is 1, 2 or 3, and wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 3. The process according to claim 1 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is comprised of ZrO₂·SiO₂ wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 4. The process according to claim 1 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is an alkaline earth aluminosilicate represented by the stoichiometric formula xMʹO·yAl₂O₃·zSiO₂, where Mʹ=Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr and a mixture thereof, where x is 1, 2, 4 or 6, where y is 1, 2, 5 or 9, where z is 1, 2 or 5 and wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 5. The process according to claim 1 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is comprised of lithium aluminosilicate selected from the group consisting of Li₂O·Al₂O₃·4SiO₂ and Li₂O·Al₂O₃·2SiO₂, wherein each oxidic constituent can range up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 6. The process according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic filler is a ceramic carbide selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, silicon carbide, tantalum carbide, titanium carbide, vanadium carbide, zirconium carbide and a mixture thereof. 7. The process according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic filler is a ceramic nitride selected from the group consisting of hafnium nitride, niobium nitride, silicon nitride, tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, vanadium nitride, zirconium nitride and a mixture thereof. 8. The process according to claim 1 wherein said composite is comprised of from about 35% by volume to about 75% by volume of continuous matrix phase and about 25% by volume to about 65% by volume of ceramic filler phase. 9. The process according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic filler is comprised of particles. 10. The process according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic filler is comprised of filaments. 11. The process according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic filler is comprised of a mixture of particles and filaments. 12. The process according to claim 1 wherein said compressing is comprised of hot pressing. 13. A process for producing a composite comprised of from about 40% by volume to about 60% by volume of ceramic filler phase and from about 40% by volume to about 60% by volume of continuous polycrystalline matrix phase, said composite having a porosity of less than about 10% by volume, which comprises forming a mixture of a ceramic filler and a material for forming said matrix phase in amounts required to produce said composite, said matrix-forming material being selected from the group consisting of barium silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, strontium silicate, zirconium silicate, barium aluminosilicate, calcium aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicate, strontium aluminosilicate, lithium aluminosilicate, and mixtures thereof, and injection molding said mixture at a temperature at which said matrix-forming material is molten to produce said composite. 14. The process according to claim 13 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is an alkaline earth silicate represented by the stoichiometric formula xMO·zSiO₂ where M=Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr and a mixture thereof, where x is 1, 2 or 3 and z is 1, 2 or 3, and wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 15. The process according to claim 13 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is comprised of ZrO₂·SiO₂ wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 16. The process according to claim 13 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is an alkaline earth aluminosilicate represented by the stoichiometric formula xMʹO·yAl₂O₃·zSiO₂, where Mʹ=Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr and a mixture thereof, where x is 1, 2, 4 or 6, where y is 1, 2, 5 or 9, where z is 1, 2 or 5 and wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 17. The process according to claim 13 wherein said material for forming said matrix phase is comprised of lithium aluminosilicate selected from the group consisting of Li₂O·Al₂O₃·4SiO₂ and Li₂O·Al₂O₃·2SiO₂, wherein each oxidic constituent can range up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 18. The process according to claim 13 wherein said ceramic filler is a ceramic carbide selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, silicon carbide, tantalum carbide, titanium carbide, vanadium carbide, zirconium carbide and a mixture thereof. 19. The process according to claim 13 wherein said ceramic filler is a ceramic nitride selected from the group consisting of hafnium nitride, niobium nitride, silicon nitride, tantalum nitride, titanium nitride, vanadium nitride, zirconium nitride and a mixture thereof. 20. A composite having a porosity of less than 10% by volume comprised of a ceramic filler phase ranging in amount from greater than about 70% by volume to about 90% by volume of said composite, and a continuous polycrystalline matrix phase selected from the group consisting of barium silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, strontium silicate, barium aluminosilicate, calcium aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicate, strontium aluminosilicate, and a mixture and/or solid solution thereof, said polycrystalline matrix phase ranging in amount from about 10% by volume to less than about 30% by volume of said composite. 21. A composite having a porosity of less than 10% by volume which is comprised of a ceramic filler phase ranging in amount from about 1% by volume to about 90% by volume of said composite, and a continuous polycrystalline matrix phase selected from the group consisting of zirconium silicate, lithium aluminosilicate, and a mixture and/or solid solution thereof, said matrix phase ranging in amount from about 10% by volume to about 99% by volume of the composite. 22. The composite according to claim 21 wherein said zirconium silicate is ZrO₂·SiO₂ wherein each oxidic constituent of said stoichiometric formula ranges up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 23. The composite according to claim 21 wherein said lithium aluminosilicate is selected from the group consisting of Li₂O·Al₂O₃·4SiO₂ and Li₂O·Al₂O₃·2SiO,₂ wherein each oxidic constituent can range up to ±50% from its stoichiometric composition. 24. A composite having a porosity of less than 10% by volume comprised of a ceramic filler phase ranging in amount from about 1% by volume to less than about 5% by volume of said composite, and a continuous polycrystalline matrix phase selected from the group consisting of barium silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, strontium silicate, barium aluminosilicate, calcium aluminosilicate, magnesium aluminosilicate, strontium aluminosilicate, and a mixture and/or solid solution thereof, said polycrystalline matrix phase ranging in amount from about 99% by volume to greater than about 95% by volume of said composite.