Patent ID: 8343449

Claim:
A method for producing a refractory metal structure comprising a refractory metal compound by reacting a green refractory metal structure comprising a refractory metal with at least one reactive gas, the method comprising: sealing the green refractory metal structure within a pressurized reactor such that each opposing end of the green refractory metal structure is sealed, forming a closed internal volume within a lumen of the green refractory metal structure, and forming an external volume within the pressurized reactor outside of the green refractory metal structure; supplying at least one reactive gas to the internal volume at an internal pressure; supplying the at least one reactive gas to the external volume at an external pressure establishing a pressure gradient by setting the internal pressure to a different pressure than the external pressure; and, heating the reactor to a temperature ranging from about 500° C. to about 3000° C.