Patent ID: 6200526
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: C04B,C22C,G11B

Abstract:
A process for preparing complex-shaped, ceramic-metal composite articles comprising:a) contacting a non-wettable powder that is non-wetting to a metal to be used for infiltration with a shaped ceramic body to form a layer of the non-wettable powder on one or more surface of the shaped ceramic body, wherein the shaped ceramic body has a region where there is no layer of the non-wettable powder and the shaped ceramic body is comprised of a ceramic that is reactive with the metal under the conditions of step (b) andb) infiltrating the shaped ceramic body with the metal through the region or regions where there is no layer of the non-wettable powder, such that a complex-shaped ceramic-metal composite comprising one or more metal phases and one or more ceramic phases is formed, wherein the article has substantially the net shape of the shaped ceramic body and undesirable regions of excess metal on the surface and undesirable phases within the complex-shaped ceramic-metal composite article near the surface are located only in the region or regions where there is no layer of the non-wettable powder and the porous shaped ceramic body is formed by tape casting followed by removing a portion of the cast tape to form the shaped body or bodies in the cast tape such that the shaped body or bodies are connected to remaining cast tape via a member of the remaining cast tape.