Method of manufacturing an open cellular article

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a ceramic open cellular article comprising, forming a ceramic based mixture into a plurality of sheets of wall forming members, independently forming a disintegratable filler mixture into a plurality of wall support members, then assembling said wall forming members and said support members in contiguous relation to provide a relatively solid structure with said wall forming members being disposed in edgeward contact with each other to form a plurality of joints therebetween, subsequently heating said structure and permitting said support members to partially decompose while still bracing said wall forming members and causing said wall forming members to harden and said joints to fuse in a predetermined pattern, and removing the remainder of said decomposed support members to provide a plurality of accurately-shaped openings in the ceramic article.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a ceramic open cellular article comprising, forming a ceramic based mixture into a plurality of sheets of wall forming members, independently forming a disintegratable filler mixture into a plurality of wall support members, then assembling said wall forming members and said support members in contiguous relation to provide a relatively solid structure with said wall forming members being disposed in edgeward contact with each other to form a plurality of joints therebetween, subsequently heating said structure and permitting said support members to partially decompose while still bracing said wall forming members and causing said wall forming members to harden and said joints to fuse in a predetermined pattern, and removing the remainder of said decomposed support members to provide a plurality of accurately-shaped openings in the ceramic article.

Claim 9

A method of manufacturing a ceramic open cellular heat exchanger comprising, forming a ceramic based mixture including a blend of a quantity of ceramic particles selected from the group consisting of refractory nitrides, refractory carbides, and refractory oxides with a quantity of binding ingredients into a plurality of substantially flat wall members, separately forming an expendable mixture including a blend of a quantity of relatively inert particles and a quantity of binding elastomeric materials into a plurality of wall support members, then assembling said wall members and said support members in closely adjacent proximity to provide a substantially solid structure with said wall members being disposed in edgeward contact with each other to form a plurality of joints therebetween, subjecting said structure to an initial heating and pressurizing stage in a die at approximately 1200°F. and 500 psi, respectively, so that said elastomeric materials of said support members are substantially removed by decomposition leaving a formation holding said wall members in the desired assembly, subjecting said structure to a higher heating and pressurizing stage at approximately 2850°F. and 2250 psi so that said wall members are densified and hardened and said joints are fused in a predetermined pattern, and removing the remainder of said partially decomposed support members to provide a plurality of accurately shaped openings in the ceramic article.

Claim 10

A method of manufacturing a ceramic open cellular heat exchanger comprising, forming a ceramic based mixture including a blend of a quantity of ceramic particles selected from the group consisting of refractory nitrides, refractory carbides, and refractory oxides with a quantity of binding ingredients into a plurality of substantially flat wall members, separately forming an expendable mixture including a blend of a quantity of relatively inert particles and a quantity of binding elastomeric materials into a plurality of wall support members, then assembling said wall members and said support members in closely adjacent proximity to provide a substantially solid structure with said wall members being disposed in edgeward contact with each other to form a plurality of joints therebetween, subjecting said structure to an initial heating and pressurizing stage in a die at approximately 1200°F. and 500 psi, respectively, so that said elastomeric materials of said support members are substantially removed by decomposition leaving a formation holding said wall members in the desired assembly, subjecting said structure to a higher heating and pressurizing stage at approximately 2850°F. and 2250 psi so that said wall members are densified and hardened and said joints are fused in a predetermined pattern, and removing the remainder of said partially decomposed support members to provide a plurality of accurately shaped openings in the ceramic article.

Claim 15

A method of manufacturing an open cellular article comprising; forming a relatively weak bondable material into a plurality of wall forming members, independently forming a disintegratable filler material into a plurality of wall support members, assembling said wall forming members and said support members in contiguously associated relation to provide a relatively solid structure with said support members serving to maintain said wall forming members in predetermined precise positions, heating said structure and permitting said support members to partially decompose while still bracing said wall forming members and causing said wall forming members to harden and bond to each other to provide a substantially rigid monolithic unit, and removing the remainder of said support members to provide a plurality of accurately-shaped openings in the article.

Claim 16

A method of manufacturing an open cellular article comprising; forming a relatively weak bondable material into a plurality of wall forming members, independently forming a disintegratable filler material into a plurality of wall support members, assembling said wall forming members and said support members in contiguously associated relation to provide a relatively solid structure with said support members serving to maintain said wall forming members in predetermined precise positions, heating said structure and permitting said support members to partially decompose while still bracing said wall forming members and causing said wall forming members to harden and bond to each other to provide a substantially rigid monolithic unit, and removing the remainder of said support members to provide a plurality of accurately-shaped openings in the article.