Patent ID: 8153052

Claim:
A method for forming a refractory metal-intermetallic composite, the method comprising: providing a first powder comprising a refractory metal suitable for forming a metal phase; providing a second powder comprising a silicide precursor suitable for forming an intermetallic phase; blending the first powder and the second powder to form a powder blend; consolidating and mechanically deforming the powder blend at a first temperature; reacting the powder blend at a second temperature to form the metal phase and the intermetallic phase of the refractory metal-intermetallic composite, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature; wherein the first powder comprises at least one of niobium, titanium, and molybdenum; and the second powder comprises at least one of silicon, germanium, and boron wherein the refractory metal-intermetallic composite has a graded composition.