Patent ID: 7754609

Claim:
A method for cleaning silicon carbide materials on a large scale, the method comprising the acts of: using an integrated system that is adapted for handling a multiplicity of said silicon carbide materials during said cleaning; purging at least one opening within each of silicon carbide materials using a continuous flow of nitrogen gas stream; ultrasonicating said silicon carbide materials in an aqueous solution of inorganic acid after the purging has begun; ultrasonicating said silicon carbide materials in a bath of deionized water after the purging has begun; and wherein purging using the continuous nitrogen gas stream continues during ultrasonicating of said silicon carbide materials in the aqueous solution and in the bath of deionized water; wherein purging the at least one opening within each of the silicon carbide materials: blocks the migration of the aqueous solution of inorganic acid to a base material; and occurs before placing the silicon carbide material in the solution.