Patent ID: 7544391

Claim:
A method of creating a water resistant and fire resistant ceramic structural composite article comprising the steps of: (a) intermixing carbon fibers with an alkali metal silicate solution and drying the mixture, to coat the fibers and interconnect the fibers with an alkali metal silicate binder, thereby forming a fire-resistant silicate-base ceramic composite article having a particular shape and structural integrity, which article is soluble in water; (b) contacting said fire-resistant silicate-base ceramic composite article with an aqueous solution comprising a soluble chemical which provides metal ions that replace the alkali metal ions of said alkali metal silicate binder, wherein said soluble chemical is selected from the group consisting of a strong anion salt, a metallic salt with an acid radical, and combinations thereof, using a time of contacting and temperature of solution and a concentration of said soluble chemical in said solution that effects the replacement of said alkali metal ions and maintains said particular shape; (c) removing said article from contact with said solution and drying the article; wherein said particular shape and said structural integrity are substantially unchanged; and, wherein the replacement of said ions in the binder makes the fire-resistant silicate-base ceramic composite article into a water resistant article.