Patent ID: 7575042

Claim:
A method for forming an article, comprising the following steps: (i) applying a precursor material to at least one surface of a mold structure, and curing the applied precursor material, wherein the precursor material comprises (a) facecoat-forming constituents which are curably converted into a facecoat capable of preventing substantial reaction between the mold structure surface and an article being cast in the mold structure; and (b) a protective coating-former for the article being cast; (ii) introducing a molten material into the mold structure, and in contact with the facecoat formed from the cured precursor material; (iii) cooling the molten material, to form the cast article within the mold structure, wherein a surface of the cast article is in contact with the cured precursor material; and (iv) reacting the cured precursor material with the cast article, to form the protective coating on the surface of the cast article, wherein the protective coating-former comprises constituents which are in substantial thermodynamic equilibrium with the facecoat-forming constituents during steps (ii) and (iii), so as to prevent premature reaction of the constituents prior to step (iv); and step (iv) is carried out by heating the cured precursor material under temperature conditions sufficient to react substantially all protective coating constituents with the surface of the cast article which is in contact with the precursor material.