Silicon-filled aluminum polymer precursors to silicon carbide-aluminum nitride ceramics

Abstract: SiC/AlN ceramics are produced by dispersing elemental silicon powder in a ceramic precursor polymer containing Al, N, and C atoms, and heating to cause a reaction between the elemental silicon and the polymer to produce an amorphous char containing carbon-silicon bonds and aluminum-nitrogen bonds. The amorphous char can be further heated to a temperature sufficient to crystallize the char to a SiC-AlN ceramic.

Description: The present invention relates to a method of preparing silicon carbide-aluminum nitride (SiC-AlN) solid solutions and composites. Ceramic materials are of critical importance for a number of high temperature, high performance applications. These high temperature and high performance applications require a unique combination of properties, such as high specific strength, high temperature mechanical property retention, hardness, wear resistance, and chemical inertness, as well as low electrical conductivity. Silicon carbide (SiC) has potential for use in high temperature structural applications because it possesses high temperature strength, oxidation and corrosion resistance, and low bulk density. However, microstructural instability at elevated temperatures often limits the use of SiC in many such applications. The morphology of SiC formed at low temperatures is cubic (beta-SiC, 3C). At higher temperatures alpha-SiC, which can have either hexagonal (alpha-SiC 2H, 4H, 6H) or rhombohedral (alpha-SiC 15R, 21R) morphologies, forms. Also, at higher temperatures beta-SiC transforms into alpha-SiC. These various polytypes can undergo one or more phase transformations between 1400°C and 2200°C, often resulting in brittle failure of the ceramic under structural loading. It is known that the presence of 1% to 10% aluminum nitride (AlN) in hot-pressed SiC samples results in sintered parts having reduced grain size and improved microstructural uniformity. These phenomena have been attributed to the formation of solid solutions of the AlN in the SiC ceramic. In order to form an extensive solid solution, two materials must have substantially the same crystal structure, the same crystalline phase, and similar atomic or ionic sizes. The hexagonal wurtzite phase of AlN is isostructural with the 2H form of SiC and is closely lattice-matched. Consequently, AlN readily forms solid solutions with SiC and imparts phase stabilization during thermal cycling. SiC-AlN composite and solid-solution materials with a wide range of compositions have been reported. Such SiC-AlN alloys possess superior creep resistance, improved fracture toughness and, possibly, enhanced oxidation and corrosion resistance. In addition, the potential to vary properties such as band gap width, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion over the range of SiC-AlN solid solution compositions makes this system attractive for many electronic applications. The formation of dense bodies of SiC-AlN solid solutions from a mixture of SiC and AlN powder requires not only powder consolidation (sintering), but also thorough solid-state diffusion of the AlN into the SiC microstructure. The high melting points and low solid-state diffusivities of both AlN and SiC, however, have limited the use of solid solution SiC-AlN ceramics. As a result, consolidated samples having representative properties have, for the most part, been prepared by pressure-assisted densification methods, e.g., hot-pressing, at relatively high temperatures of about 2200°C. Such techniques are energy-inefficient and severely limit the shape-complexity of the part that can be fabricated. SiC/AlN solid solutions have also been prepared from polymeric ceramic precursors. For example, U.S. Patent 4,687,657 (Clark and Johnson) discloses a method of producing SiC and AlN ceramic alloys by mixing a solution of polycarbosilane with a solution of poly(N-alkylaminoalane), (HAl-NR) n ' where R is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or aromatic hydrocarbon, and n is a whole number lower than or equal to 10, and removing the solvent from the mixture of polymers and heating the solid polymeric mixture to effect the conversion of the polymers to a ceramic product. C.L. Czekaj et al. in Journal of the American Ceramic Society 73 , (1990), pages 352-357, teaches the preparation of SiC/AlN solid solutions by pyrolysis of a mixture of dialkylaluminium amide compounds and polymeric precursors to SiC. U.S. Patent 4,904,424 (Johnson) describes the formation of ceramic alloys or solid solutions such as SiC/AlN solid solutions by dispersing a powdery metal alloy or intimate mixture of two alloying metals in a precarbonaceous polymer such as polyacrylonitrile. The powdery metal alloys are selected from silicon, boron, and compounds of silicon or boron, with a second alloying metal comprising aluminum. The process of this invention for preparing an amorphous char is characterized by reacting a mixture of elemental silicon and a ceramic precursor polymer containing Al, N and C atoms in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of up to 1300°C to form a reaction product containing silicon-carbon bonds and aluminum-nitrogen bonds. Also according to the invention, the amorphous char can be heated to a higher temperature of up to 2300°C, preferably 1300° to 2200°C, to produce a crystalline SiC/AlN ceramic. The process can be used for the fabrication of SiC/AlN ceramic fibers. The process of this invention provides a method for forming SiC-AlN ceramics in situ by chemically reacting a ceramic precursor polymer and elemental silicon. The amorphous chars of this invention are particularly suited for sintering and subsequent densification of silicon carbide. The preceramic polymers employed in the practice of the present invention are alazane polymers containing Al, N, and C atoms. As used herein, alazane polymers (also referred to herein as polyalazanes) are aluminum-containing dimers, oligomers or polymers comprising aluminum, nitrogen and carbon with aluminum-nitrogen bonds, such as aluminum amides, aluminum imides, aluminum imines and aminoalanes. The alazane polymer forms AlN upon pyrolysis and supplies a carbon source for the reactive silicon powder filler phase. Polymers used in the process of this invention contain aluminum-nitrogen bonds, preferably having a backbone comprising alternating aluminum-containing groups and nitrogen-containing groups. The aluminum or nitrogen atoms of the polymers are substituted with pendant carbon-containing groups. The polymers have a general formula selected from: (a) a polymer comprising repeat units of the general formula: where n ≧ 2 and R and R''' have the same or different compositions and are selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, and hydrogen, and R' and R'' are selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, imino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen, provided that R, R', R'' and R''' are not all hydrogen. (b) a preferred polymer having repeat units of the general formula: where n ≧ 2 and R is an imine group, and R' and R'' are selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen; i.e., at least one group must be carbon-containing. R, R' and R'' should have sufficient carbon atoms to react completely with the added elemental silicon powder without resulting in excess carbon in the resultant product. Suitable R' and R'' groups include alkyl groups which include, but are not limited to methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, and octyl, and also include aryl groups which include but are not limited to phenyl groups. (c) a more preferred polymer having repeat units of the general formula: where n ≧ 2 and R is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, and hydrogen, and R' is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, imino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen provided that R and R' are not both hydrogen. (d) the most preferred polymer having repeat units of the general formula: where n ≧ 2 and R is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, and hydrogen, and R' is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, imino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen provided that R and R' are not both hydrogen and x + y ≦ 1 . In the group containing y repeat units, the aluminum atom is bonded to three nitrogen atoms. In these general formulae, R, R', R'', and R''' are preferably alkyl or aryl groups. When R, R', R'', and R''' is an alkyl group, the preferred alkyl groups have 1-12 carbon atoms; the alkyl groups are selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, and octyl groups. When R, R', R'', and R''' is an aryl group, the preferred aryl groups are phenyl groups. For the general formulae (a), (b), (c), and (d) if R, R', R'', and R''' is an organounsaturated group, the organounsaturated organic group is preferably capable of being crosslinked by an energy input, and is more preferably selected from the group consisting of allyl, methallyl, butenyl, 2-methylpropenyl, and propenyl groups. The ceramic precursor polymers containing Al, N, and C atoms can be produced using any method for producing aluminum-nitrogen polymers in which at least some of the repeating units contain alternating aluminum and nitrogen atoms wherein each aluminum and nitrogen atom is substituted by an organic group. The present invention is directed to a process which includes an initial reaction stage wherein an amorphous char is prepared by reacting a previously described polymer comprising aluminum, nitrogen, and carbon atoms with elemental silicon in a non-oxidizing atmosphere and at a temperature of up to 1300°C to form a reaction product containing carbon-silicon bonds and aluminum-nitrogen bonds. The solid elemental silicon powder filler is mixed with or suspended in the polymer, which can be in the form of a liquid or solid, whereby the elemental silicon filler powder is essentially coated by or in intimate contact with the polymer. The amorphous char is formed at a temperature not greater than 1300°C, preferably within the range of 400°C to 1300°C, and in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. By non-oxidizing is meant inert or reducing atmospheres. Representative inert atmospheres include helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. Representative reducing atmospheres include hydrogen and ammonia. The powdery elemental silicon and preceramic polymer are provided in amounts that yield the proper proportion of silicon carbide and aluminum nitride desired in the ceramic product. It is important to note that different alazane polymers have different aluminum, nitrogen, and carbon contents and often adjustments in mass ratio must be made to account for such stoichiometries as well as excess carbon that can be lost during thermolysis of the polymer. Although not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, the elemental silicon is believed to undergo a low temperature reaction with carbon from the ceramic precursor polymer to form the amorphous char. A representative equation for this transformation is shown below. The species R''-Si≡ represents an amorphous char in which a carbon-silicon bond has formed (designated by R''-Si) and the remaining valences of silicon are shown as Si≡. The designation R''-Si does not necessarily indicate that an entire hydrocarbon group is bound to silicon, but rather that a silicon-carbon bond has formed. Again, not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that alternative routes may exist over the temperature range of 400° to 1300°C that provide the initial silicon-carbon bond-forming sequence. The previously formed amorphous char can then be subjected to a higher reaction temperature of up to 2300°C for an additional time sufficient to crystallize the amorphous char and form a ceramic composition comprising aluminum nitride and silicon carbide in proper proportions for the desired stoichiometry. In this stage, the higher temperature is not greater than 2300°C, preferably, within a temperature range of 1300°C to 2200°C, and most preferably between 1500°C and 2200°C. The heating is conducted in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The resultant SiC/AlN ceramic can be in the form of a composite, the latter preferably being a microcomposite. By microcomposite is meant a composite wherein discrete particulate domains of AlN and SiC are homogeneously interdispersed at the micron to submicron level. The silicon-filled polymers of the present invention can also contain materials that do not interfere with the intended reaction, and are preferably nonreactive fillers that are either ceramic or metallic, and can be in the form of powders, whiskers, platelets, or continuous fiber. Suitable fillers include, for example, SiC, Si 3 N 4 , SiO 2 , BN, AlN, Al 2 O 3 , TiN, TiC, Ti, Zr, ZrC, ZrO 2 , B 4 C and Y 2 O 3 . These added materials can contribute to the fired properties of the ceramic. In a preferred embodiment, the silicon-filled polymers of the present invention are highly filled with silicon carbide powder, and the silicon-filled polymer is used as a reactive binder. In such a preferred embodiment, SiC is present in an amount of from 1 wt% to 90 wt% of the total ceramic precursor/SiC mixture. α-SiC, β-SiC, and mixtures thereof can be used. Additionally, mixtures of the preceramic polymer with SiC and other ceramic or metal fillers can be used. Silicon carbide can be consolidated by heating a mixture of silicon carbide, elemental silicon and the ceramic precursor polymer under pyrolysis conditions at a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce a sintered silicon carbide article. The silicon carbide is α-SiC, β-SiC or mixtures thereof. The temperatures suitable for this purpose are at least 1600°C, and most preferably at least 1900°C. The heating is continued for a time sufficient to produce a silicon carbide article with a density that is preferably greater than 90% of theoretical density. Silicon carbide can thus be sintered on a local scale (100 µm) at a temperature of at least 1600°C, and densified at a temperature of at least 1900°C, and most preferably above 2050°C to 2200°C. As used herein, sintering means the process in which two adjacent ceramic grains become physically connected. There have been many mechanisms postulated for this, not all of which result in densification. All sintering mechanisms rely upon movement of matter in order to connect adjacent grains. Densification means the increase of matter in a specific volume, or a decrease of the void space. Although often used synonymously, the terms sinter and densify, as found in this specification, have specific, and different meanings. In another embodiment, an excess of elemental silicon powder is added to the ceramic precursor polymer and, after formation of the amorphous char, the residual elemental silicon is nitrided in an ammonia-or nitrogen-containing atmosphere to provide a ternary ceramic comprising SiC, AlN, and Si 3 N 4 after crystallization. Other gases such as helium or hydrogen that are known to improve the thermal conductivity of the nitriding atmosphere can also be present. Mixtures of SiC powder and/or additional fillers with the previously described ceramic precursor polymers used in accordance with the present invention can be prepared using standard ceramic mixing equipment including, for example, a ball mill, a double planetary mixer, a three roll mill, a sigma blade mixer, a ribbon blender, an extruder and other methods known to those skilled in the art. Mixtures of the preceramic polymers and fillers can be molded by processes including, for example, compression molding, hot pressing, slip casting, tape casting, cold isostatic pressing, extrusion, fiber spinning and injection molding. Because each of these molding operations requires a different amount of the preceramic polymer, the amount is adjusted so that the overall composition of the system, i.e., the preceramic polymer binder, SiC powder and other fillers, is appropriate to sinter the silicon carbide. For example, injection molding requires 10 wt% to 50 wt% polymer. A preferred forming technique for these silicon-filled polymer compositions is the fabrication of SiC-AlN ceramic fibers, from which composites exhibiting exceptional mechanical performance at high temperature can be fabricated. Such fibers can be formed by dry or wet spinning methods as well as extrusion. For example, filaments can be drawn from an alazane ceramic precursor polymer melt containing suspended elemental silicon. Possible applications for this polymer precursor route to SiC-AlN ceramics includes formation of films, fibers, coatings, and three dimensional massive objects or composites that are formed by processes such as injection molding, extrusion, and infiltration of porous preforms. EXAMPLE 1 A 250 ml Schlenk round bottom flask was fitted with a pressure equalized dropping addition funnel and purged. Acetonitrile (50 ml, 946 mmol) was added to the flask. The funnel was charged with diisobutylaluminum hydride (100 ml, 1.0 M in toluene, 100 mmol) and the flask was cooled to 0°C. The diisobutylaluminum hydride was added dropwise over thirty minutes and stirred at 0°C for an additional hour. The flask was warmed to room temperature and the colorless solution was stirred overnight. The solvent was removed under vacuum, leaving 18 g of the aluminum imine [CH 3 C(H)=NAl(i-C 4 H 9 ) 2 ] 2 . The aluminum imine (5.0 g) was heated at 180°C to 200°C for eight hours to form 3.5 grams of the viscous red-orange colored alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n . EXAMPLE 2 Five grams of the aluminum imine, [CH 3 C(H)=NAl(i-C 4 H 9 ) 2 ] 2 , prepared as in Example 1, were heated from room temperature to 300°C over 1.5 hours and held at 300°C for 4 hours. Upon cooling 2.9 grams of solid red-orange colored alazane polymer, [-(C 2 H 5 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] 0.65 [-(C 2 H 5 )NAl-] 0.35 , were obtained. EXAMPLE 3 A 250 ml Schlenk round bottom flask was fitted with a pressure equalized dropping addition funnel and purged. Benzonitrile (6.44 ml, 63 mmol) and toluene (25 ml) were added to the flask. The funnel was charged with diisobutylaluminum hydride (50 ml, 1.0 M in toluene, 50 mmol) and the flask was cooled to 0°C. The diisobutylaluminum hydride was added dropwise over forty minutes, stirred at 0°C for an additional thirty minutes, warmed to room temperature and stirred for sixteen hours. Removal of the solvent under vacuum yielded 6.9 grams of the yellow liquid product [C 6 H 5 C(H)=NAl(i-C 4 H 9 ) 2 ] 2 . The aluminum imine [C 6 H 5 C(H)=NAl(i-C 4 H 9 ) 2 ] 2 was heated to 180-200°C under nitrogen for eight hours to form the viscous red-brown colored alazane polymer [-(C 6 H 5 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(C 6 H 5 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n . Examples 4, 5, 6, and 7 are directed to the preparation of preceramic mixtures of alazane polymers and elemental silicon in accordance with the present invention using different ratios of Si. EXAMPLE 4 Silicon powder 0.33 grams was mixed into 3.1 grams of the alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 1. The mixture was fired in argon from room temperature to 1500°C and held at temperature for two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the resulting ceramic showed crystalline aluminum nitride and silicon carbide to be present. EXAMPLE 5 Silicon powder, 1.32 grams, was mixed with 3.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 1. The mixture was fired in argon from room temperature to 1500°C and held at temperature for two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the pyrolyzed product showed crystalline aluminum nitride and silicon carbide as well as elemental silicon to be present. EXAMPLE 6 Silicon powder, 0.74 grams, was mixed with 5.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(C 6 H 5 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(C 6 H 5 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 3. The mixture was fired in argon from room to 1600°C and held for two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the fired product showed crystalline silicon carbide and aluminum nitride. EXAMPLE 7 The aluminum imide polymer [C 2 H 5 AlNH] x was prepared by treating 12 ml of 1.9 M triethylaluminum with excess ammonia at room temperature to form 2.6 grams of liquid [(C 2 H 5 ) 2 AlNH 2 ] 3 . The [(C 2 H 5 ) 2 AlNH 2 ] 3 is heated from room temperature to 130°C for 2 hours resulting in 1.9 grams of the solid white aluminum imide polymer [C 2 H 5 AlNH] x . The aluminum imide polymer [C 2 H 5 AlNH] x (1.9 grams) was mixed with 0.35 grams of silicon powder. The mixture was fired to 1500°C in argon for two hours. The X-ray powder diffraction pattern showed crystalline β-SiC and AlN to be present. Examples 8, 9, and 10 are illustrative of the process of the present invention using non-reactive fillers (Examples 8 and 9), and reactive fillers (Example 10). EXAMPLE 8 Silicon powder, 0.66 grams, and titanium carbide, 0.70 grams, were mixed with 3.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 1. The mixture was fired in argon from room temperature to 1500°C and held at temperature for two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the pyrolyzed material showed crystalline silicon carbide, titanium carbide and aluminum nitride. EXAMPLE 9 Silicon powder, 0.66 grams, and alumina, 1.2 grams, were mixed with 3.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 1. The mixture was fired in argon from room temperature to 1500°C and held at temperature for two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the pyrolyzed material showed crystalline silicon carbide, aluminum nitride and alumina. EXAMPLE 10 Silicon powder, 0.2 grams, and titanium disilicide, 0.6 grams, were mixed with 3.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 1. The mixture was fired in argon from room temperature to 1500°C and held at temperature for two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the pyrolyzed material showed crystalline AlN, α- and β-SiC and TiC. No TiSi 2 was evident in the x-ray pattern. EXAMPLE 11 This example shows the use of SiC as a filler. Silicon powder, 0.4 grams, and silicon carbide, 0.5 grams, were mixed with 3.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(C 2 H 5 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] 0.65 [-(C 2 H 5 )NAl-] 0.35 prepared as described in Example 2. The mixture was fired in argon from room temperature to 1500°C and held two hours. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the pyrolyzed material showed crystalline AlN and SiC as the only phases present. EXAMPLE 12 Silicon powder, 0.13 grams, was mixed with 0.5 grams of the alazane polymer [(C 2 H 5 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )] 0.65 [(C 2 H 5 )NAl] 0.35 prepared as described in Example 2. Fibers were drawn from the melt. EXAMPLE 13 This example describes the compression molding of a mixture of silicon powder and an alazane polymer. The alazane polymer [-(C 2 H 5 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] 0.65 [-(C 2 H 5 )NAl-] 0.35 prepared as described in Example 2 (2.0 grams) was mixed with silicon powder (0.5 grams). Pellets were compression molded at room temperature and 140 kg/cm 2 (2000 psi). The molded pellets were cured by treating with gaseous ammonia at room temperature. The cured pellets were pyrolyzed by heating from room temperature to 1500°C. The fired pellets retained their molded shape during pyrolysis. EXAMPLE 14 This example illustrates the use of an excess of elemental silicon and a subsequent nitriding step. Silicon powder, 0.68 grams, was mixed with 3.0 grams of the alazane polymer [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 9 )-] m [-(CH 3 CH 2 )NAl(C 4 H 7 )-] n prepared as described in Example 1. The mixture was fired from room temperature to 1300°C at 10°C/min in argon in a mullite tube furnace with a 2 hour hold at 1300°C. The pyrolysis atmosphere was switched to N2 and the temperature increased at 10°C/min from 1300 to 1500°C, and the temperature was held 8 hours at 1500°C. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of the pyrolyzed material showed crystalline silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and aluminum nitride. EXAMPLE 15 This example describes the use of a ceramic precursor containing organounsaturated groups. A 250 ml Schlenk round bottom flask was fitted with a pressure equalized dropping addition funnel and purged. 3-Butenenitrile (4.4 grams, 65.6 mmol) was added to the flask. The funnel was charged with diisobutylaluminum hydride (60 ml, 1.0 M in toluene, 60 mmol) and the flask was cooled to 0°C. The diisobutylaluminum hydride was added dropwise over thirty minutes, stirred at 0°C for an additional thirty minutes, warmed to room temperature and stirred for sixteen hours. Removal of the solvent under vacuum yielded the yellow liquid product [CH 2 =CHCH 2 C(H)=NAl(i-C 4 H 9 ) 2 ] 2 . To 0.5 grams of [CH 2 =CHCH 2 C(H)=NAl(i-C 4 H 9 ) 2 ] 2 was added 0.5 grams silicon powder and the mixture was heated in a test tube under nitrogen to 200°C to thermally crosslink the polymer. The solid crosslinked silicon-containing polymer plug was removed from the test tube and fired in a mullite tube furnace from room temperature to 1500°C at 10°C/min in an argon atmosphere with a 2 hour hold at 1500°C.

Claims: A process for preparing an amorphous char characterized by reacting a mixture of elemental silicon and a ceramic precursor polymer comprising aluminum, nitrogen, and carbon atoms in a non-oxidizing atmosphere and at a temperature of up to 1300°C to form a reaction product containing silicon-carbon bonds and aluminum-nitrogen bonds. The process of claim 1, further characterized in that the ceramic precursor polymer has a backbone comprising alternating aluminum and nitrogen atoms. The process of claim 2, further characterized in that the polymer has a general formula selected from: (a) where n ≧ 2 and R and R''' have the same or different compositions and are selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, and hydrogen, and R' and R'' are selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, imino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen, provided that R, R', R'' and R''' are not all hydrogen; (b) where n ≧ 2 and R is an imine group, and R' and R'' are selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen, provided that R, R' and R'' are not all hydrogen; (c) where n ≧ 2 and R is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, and hydrogen, and R' is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, imino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen provided that R and R' are not both hydrogen; and (d) where n ≧ 2 and R is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, and hydrogen, and R' is selected from the group consisting of 1-12 carbon alkyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkyl groups, 2-12 carbon alkenyl groups, 3-12 carbon cycloalkenyl groups, aryl groups, amino groups, imino groups, carboxy groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and hydrogen provided that R and R' are not both hydrogen and x + y ≦ 1 , and in the group containing y repeat units the aluminum atom is bonded to three nitrogen atoms. The process of claim 3, further characterized in that the alkyl groups are selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, propyl, butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, and octyl groups. The process of claim 3, further characterized in that the alkenyl groups are selected from the group consisting of allyl, methallyl, butenyl, 2-methylpropenyl, and propenyl groups. The process of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the nonoxidizing atmosphere is an argon-containing atmosphere or a nitrogen-containing atmosphere. The process of any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the reaction temperature is a temperature between 400°C and 1300°C. The process of claim 1,further characterized in that the amorphous char is heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of up to 2300°C to crystallize the char and form a SiC-AlN ceramic. The process of claim 8, further characterized in that the amorphous char contains a filler. The process of claim 9, further characterized in that the filler is silicon carbide. The process of claim 10, further characterized in that the silicon carbide is alpha-silicon carbide, beta-silicon carbide, or a mixture thereof. The process of claim 8, further characterized in that the nonoxidizing atmosphere is an argon-containing atmosphere or a nitrogen-containing atmosphere. The process of claims 8-12, further characterized in that said temperature is between 1300°C and 2200°C. The process of claim 13, further characterized in that said temperature is between 1500°C and 2200°C. The process of claims 8-14, further characterized in that the sintered ceramic is a composite of silicon carbide and aluminum nitride. The process of claim 15, further characterized in that the composite is a microcomposite. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that the mixture contains a sufficient excess of elemental silicon to result in an amorphous char that contains unreacted elemental silicon. The process of claim 17, further characterized by heating the amorphous char in an ammonia- or nitrogen-containing atmosphere to crystallize the char and provide a ternary ceramic comprising silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, and silicon nitride. The process of claim 1, further characterized in that the amorphous char is in the form of a fiber. The process of claim 8, further characterized in that the SiC/AlN ceramic is in the form of a fiber.

Inventors: JENSEN JAMES ALLEN, JENSEN, JAMES ALLEN
Applicants: LANXIDE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, LANXIDE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, LP
Application year: 1993
Main classification: C04B35
IPC codes: C04B35, C08G79