Novel ceramic-metal compounds

Claim 2

A ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic selected from the group consisting of at least one of nitrides, silicides, carbides, borides, phosphides, and arsenides, and metal alloys thereof and M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic, said metal (M) is selected from at least one of the metals of Groups 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements, and x has a value of about 0.002 to about 0.5.

Claim 3

The compound of claim 1 wherein said metal (M) is a transition metal selected from at least one of the metals of Groups 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements.

Claim 4

The compound of claim 1 wherein said carbides are selected from the group consisting of B 4 C, TiC, SiC, and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from at least one of the group consisting of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 5

The compound of claim 1 wherein said borides are selected from the group consisting of TiB 2 , ZrB 2 , NbB 2 , and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from at least one of the group consisting of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 6

The compound of claim 1 wherein said nitrides are selected from the group consisting of BN, AlN, Si 3 N 4 , and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from at least one of the group consisting of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 7

The ceramic-metal compound of claim 1 wherein said ceramic is boron carbide and said metal (M) is selected from at least one of the group consisting of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury and antimony.

Claim 8

A process for preparing a ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula: M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic, M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic, said metal selected from the metals of Groups 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements, and x has a value in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.5, said ceramic-metal compound characterized as an intercalation compound, an inclusion compound, or a solid solution, said process comprising reacting at least one ceramic with at least one ionizable organometallic compound.

Claim 9

A process for preparing a ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula: M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic, M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic, said metal selected from the metals of Groups 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements, and x has a value in the range of about 0.002 to about 0.5, said ceramic-metal compound characterized as an intercalation compound, an inclusion compound, or a solid solution, said process comprising reacting at least one ceramic with at least one ionizable organometallic compound.

Claim 10

The process of claim 7 wherein said ceramic is reacted at a temperature of ambient or below in at least one inert, low dielectric solvent, said low dielectric solvent is selected from the group consisting of aldehydes, ethers, aliphatics, aromatics, and alkylhalides, and said metal (M) is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of the metals of Groups 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements.

Claim 11

The process of claim 7 wherein said ceramic is selected from the group consisting of at least one of borides, nitrides, carbides, silicides, phosphides, arsenides, and metal alloys thereof; said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony; and said process is further characterized by reacting said ceramic (1) with said ionizable organometallic compound present in at least one inert, low dielectric solvent or (2) with a metal ion present in the gaseous phase.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein said carbides are reacted at a temperature of ambient or below and said carbides are selected from the group consisting of B 4 C, TiC, SiC, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

The process of claim 9 wherein said borides are reacted at a temperature of ambient or below and said borides are selected from the group consisting of TiB 2 , ZrB 2 , NbB 2 , and mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

The process of claim 9 wherein said nitrides are reacted at a temperature of ambient or below and said nitrides are selected from the group consisting of BN, AlN, Si 3 N 4 , and mixtures thereof.

Claim 15

The process of claim 9 wherein said low dielectric solvent is selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 8 aldehydes C 4 to C 8 ethers, C 4 to C 12 aliphatics, C 6 -C 20 aromatics, and C 1 -C 20 alkyl halides.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 wherein said ceramic is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, titanium diboride, zirconium diboride, niobium diboride, and boron carbide and said organometallic compound is selected from the group consisting of dicyclopentadienyl chromium, dicyclopentadienyl nickel, dicyclopentadienyl iron, di-butyl magnesium, dicyclopentadienyl cobalt, bis(triphenylphosphine) copper (I) borohydride, tetraphenyl lead, diphenyl mercury, bis(cyclopentadienyl) nickel, bis(cyclopentadienyl) chromium, dicyclopentadienyl ruthenium, trimethyl aluminum, triphenyl antimony, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 17

A densified ceramic-prepared article using a ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic selected from the group consisting of at least one of nitrides, silicides, carbides, borides, phosphides, and arsenides, and metal alloys thereof and M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic, said metal (M) is selected from the metals of Groups 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements, and x has a value of about 0.002 to about 0.5.

Claim 18

A densified ceramic-prepared article using a ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic selected from the group consisting of at least one of nitrides, silicides, carbides, borides, phosphides, and arsenides, and metal alloys thereof and M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic, said metal (M) is selected from the metals of Groups 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements, and x has a value of about 0.002 to about 0.5.

Claim 19

The article of claim 15 characterized as having at least one of increased, density, hardness, and toughness wherein said metal (M) is a transition metal selected from the metals of Groups 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements.

Claim 20

The article of claim 15 wherein said ceramic is a carbide selected from the group consisting of B 4 C, TiC, SiC, and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 21

The article of claim 15 wherein said ceramic is a boride selected from the group consisting of TiB 2 , ZrB 2 , NbB 2 , and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 22

The article of claim 15 wherein said ceramic is a nitride selected from the group consisting of BN, AlN, Si 3 N 4 , and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 23

The article of claim 16 wherein said ceramic is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, titanium diboride, zirconium diboride, niobium diboride, and boron carbide and said metal is selected from the group consisting of at least one of cobalt, copper, mercury, nickel, chromium, ruthenium, and iron.

Claim 24

In a process for forming a ceramic article by densification of a ceramic-metal composition, said densification process comprising sintering, hot pressing, or hot isostatic pressing said ceramic-metal composition, the improvement comprising obtaining a densified article having at least one of increased density, hardness, and toughness by densifying a composition comprising a ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic and M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic and x has a value of about 0.002 to about 0.5.

Claim 25

In a process for forming a ceramic article by densification of a ceramic-metal composition, said densification process comprising sintering, hot pressing, or hot isostatic pressing said ceramic-metal composition, the improvement comprising obtaining a densified article having at least one of increased density, hardness, and toughness by densifying a composition comprising a ceramic-metal intercalation compound having the formula M.sub.x [A] wherein A is a ceramic and M is a metal capable of incorporation into the crystal structure of the ceramic and x has a value of about 0.002 to about 0.5.

Claim 26

The process of claim 21 wherein said ceramic-metal article is formed from said ceramic-metal compound at a substantially reduced temperature and said ceramic (A) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of nitrides, silicides, carbides, borides, phosphides, and arsenides and metal alloys thereof and wherein said metal (M) is a metal selected from the metals of Groups 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8 of The Periodic Table of the Elements.

Claim 27

The process of claim 21 wherein said ceramic is a carbide selected from the group consisting of B 4 C, TiC, SiC, and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 28

The process of claim 21 wherein said ceramic is a boride selected from the group consisting of TiB 2 , ZrB 2 , NbB 2 , and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of magnesium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 29

The process of claim 21 wherein said ceramic is a nitride selected from the group consisting of BN, AlN, Si 3 N 4 , and mixtures thereof and said metal (M) is selected from the group consisting of at least one of magnesium, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, aluminum, ruthenium, mercury, and antimony.

Claim 30

The process of claim 22 wherein said article is formed by hot pressing a ceramic-metal composition comprising a ceramic-metal compound formed by the reaction of a ceramic, selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, titanium diboride, zirconium diboride, niobium diboride, and boron carbide, with an organometallic compound selected from the group consisting of dicyclopentadienyl chromium, dicyclopentadienyl nickel, dicyclopentadienyl iron, di-butyl magnesium, dicyclopentadienyl cobalt, bis(triphenylphosphine) copper (I) borohydride, tetraphenyl lead, diphenyl mercury, bis(cyclopentadienyl) nickel, bis(cyclopentadienyl) chromium, dicyclopentadienyl ruthenium, trimethyl aluminum, triphenyl antimony, and mixtures thereof.