Method of preparing metal carbides, nitrides, and the like

Claim 1

A method of producing a product M a X b wherein M represents one or more metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals and tin, X represents silicon, and a and b represent the atomic proportions of M and X, comprising the steps of, in sequence: (a) providing a precursor to M a X b that is non-volatile upon pyrolysis and which comprises an organometallic complex, said complex including one or more metal atoms M which may be the same or different, and wherein each of said metal atoms M is bound to an organic ligand, said organometallic complex further containing the element X either directly bound to one or more of said metal atoms M or contained within said ligands or both; (b) optionally either: (i) dissolving said precursor in an organic solvent to give a precursor solution, the solvent selected such that the precursor can be dissolved to a concentration at which the precursor solution has a viscosity sufficient to allow extrusion into a desired form; or (ii) melting said precursor; (c) shaping said precursor into a desired form; and (d) pyrolyzing said shaped precursor, at a temperature in the range of 500° C. to 950° C., to give M a X b as a residue substantially free of organic materials.

Claim 2

A method of producing a product M a X b wherein M represents one or more metals selected from the group consisting of transition metals and tin, X represents silicon, and a and b represent the atomic proportions of M and X, comprising the steps of, in sequence: (a) providing a precursor to M a X b that is non-volatile upon pyrolysis and which comprises an organometallic complex, said complex including one or more metal atoms M which may be the same or different, and wherein each of said metal atoms M is bound to an organic ligand, said organometallic complex further containing the element X either directly bound to one or more of said metal atoms M or contained within said ligands or both; (b) optionally either: (i) dissolving said precursor in an organic solvent to give a precursor solution, the solvent selected such that the precursor can be dissolved to a concentration at which the precursor solution has a viscosity sufficient to allow extrusion into a desired form; or (ii) melting said precursor; (c) shaping said precursor into a desired form; and (d) pyrolyzing said shaped precursor, at a temperature in the range of 500° C. to 950° C., to give M a X b as a residue substantially free of organic materials.