US5246736A — Process for the manufacture of a refractory compo…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 120 words

A method of making a refractory composite material that is protected against corrosion and that comprises fibrous reinforcement densified by a matrix, wherein said process comprises a step of forming, within said matrix or at a surface thereof, at least one continuous phase constituted by a ternary silicon-boron-carbon (Si-B-C) system in which the distribution of the silicon, boron and carbon elements is substantially uniform and which is obtained by one of a chemical vapor deposition process or a chemical infiltration process using a gas comprising a mixture of precursors for the elements silicon, boron, and carbon, in such a manner as to obtain a boron concentration in the ternary Si-B-C system that is not less than 5% in atomic percentage.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 120 words

A method of making a refractory composite material that is protected against corrosion and that comprises fibrous reinforcement densified by a matrix, wherein said process comprises a step of forming, within said matrix or at a surface thereof, at least one continuous phase constituted by a ternary silicon-boron-carbon (Si-B-C) system in which the distribution of the silicon, boron and carbon elements is substantially uniform and which is obtained by one of a chemical vapor deposition process or a chemical infiltration process using a gas comprising a mixture of precursors for the elements silicon, boron, and carbon, in such a manner as to obtain a boron concentration in the ternary Si-B-C system that is not less than 5% in atomic percentage.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 56 words

A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of oxidizing the Si-B-C phase; and wherein in said forming step the composition of the gas provides the ternary Si-B-C system having a composition such that during said oxidizing step the Si-B-C phase forms a glass having viscosity properties sufficient for healing cracks in the matrix.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one Si-B-C phase is formed within the matrix.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the Si-B-C phases comprises an outer layer of the matrix.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein the matrix consists essentially of said Si-B-C phase.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

A method according to claim 1 wherein the fibrous reinforcement comprises elemental carbon or an elemental carbon interphase is present between the fibrous reinforcement and the matrix, and the method further comprises a step of forming between said elemental carbon and said Si-B-C phase a refractory phase that does not contain boron.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method according to claim 6, wherein the refractory phase that does not contain boron is a refractory carbide.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method according to claim 6, wherein the refractory phase that does not contain boron is silicon carbide.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method according to claim 1, further comprising a surface coating of a refractory oxide or carbide at the surface of the refractory composite material.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 164 words

In a method for making a composite material, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) forming, from a gas comprising precursors of the elements silicon and carbon, a silicon-carbon (SiC) phase by one of: (1) a chemical vapor deposition process; and (2) a chemical infiltration process; and (b) forming, from a gas comprising a mixture of precursors of the elements silicon and boron and carbon, a silicon-boron-carbon (Si-B-C) continuous phase by one of: (1) a chemical vapor deposition process; and (2) a chemical infiltration process; wherein said Si-B-C continuous phase distribution of the elements silicon, boron and carbon is substantially uniform; and wherein a transition from the SiC phase to the Si-B-C phase is provided by smoothly adding increased amounts of the precursor for the element boron to the gas in step (a), and/or a transition from the Si-B-C phase to the Si-C phase is provided by smoothly reducing the content of the precursor for the element boron in the gas in step (b).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 164 words

In a method for making a composite material, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) forming, from a gas comprising precursors of the elements silicon and carbon, a silicon-carbon (SiC) phase by one of: (1) a chemical vapor deposition process; and (2) a chemical infiltration process; and (b) forming, from a gas comprising a mixture of precursors of the elements silicon and boron and carbon, a silicon-boron-carbon (Si-B-C) continuous phase by one of: (1) a chemical vapor deposition process; and (2) a chemical infiltration process; wherein said Si-B-C continuous phase distribution of the elements silicon, boron and carbon is substantially uniform; and wherein a transition from the SiC phase to the Si-B-C phase is provided by smoothly adding increased amounts of the precursor for the element boron to the gas in step (a), and/or a transition from the Si-B-C phase to the Si-C phase is provided by smoothly reducing the content of the precursor for the element boron in the gas in step (b).

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-09-20	1997-03-22	1997-09-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-09-20	2001-03-22	2001-09-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-09-20	2005-03-22	2005-09-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Process for the manufacture of a refractory composite material protected against corrosion

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