Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
Polycrystalline sintered bodies based on lanthanum hexaboride having a density of at least 95% of the theoretical density, comprising lanthanum hexaboride, boron carbide and amorphous carbon and having a content of boron carbide+carbon of from 0.1 to 10% by weight, a total amount of La+B+C of at least 99.0% by weight, in each case calculated on the total weight, and a homogeneous microstructure with a mean grain size of <10 μm and wherein, in addition to the crystalline lanthanum hexaboride phase, boron carbide and carbon are detectable as separate, finely divided phases.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
Polycrystalline sintered bodies based on lanthanum hexaboride having a density of at least 95% of the theoretical density, comprising lanthanum hexaboride, boron carbide and amorphous carbon and having a content of boron carbide+carbon of from 0.1 to 10% by weight, a total amount of La+B+C of at least 99.0% by weight, in each case calculated on the total weight, and a homogeneous microstructure with a mean grain size of <10 μm and wherein, in addition to the crystalline lanthanum hexaboride phase, boron carbide and carbon are detectable as separate, finely divided phases.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
A process for manufacturing a polycrystalline sintered body of claim 1 which comprises: forming a mixture comprising lanthanum hexaboride, a carbon containing material and a boron component; shaping the mixture to form a green body having a density of at least 50% TD and heating the green body at a temperature in the range of from about 2150° C. to about 2200° C. in vacuo or in the presence of an inert gas at a pressure of up to about 0.1 MPa.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the lanthanum hexaboride powder has a maximum particle size of 3 μm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the carbon containing material comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of particulate carbon, phenoplasts, coal tar pitch, a novolak phenol formaldehyde condensation product and a resol phenol formaldehyde condensation product.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the boron component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of amorphous boron and boron carbide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the boron component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of amorphous boron and boron carbide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the carbon containing material comprises a phenol formaldehyde condensation product.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 7 wherein the boron component comprises amorphous boron.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the carbon containing material and the boron component are each used in an amount sufficient to provide from about 0.25 to 5% by weight, calculated as free carbon and free boron, based on the weight of lanthanium hexaboride powder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the lanthanum hexaboride powder has an oxygen content of up to about 5% by weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the amount of the cabon containing material and boron component are sufficient to provide about an equal amount by weight of carbon and boron calculated as free carbon and free boron.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
9 words
A cathode comprising the sintered body of claim 1.