PRESSURELESSLY SINTERED ZIRCONIUM DIBORIDE/SILICON CARBIDE COMPOSITE BODIES AND A METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

A method of sintering a ZrB<SUB>2</SUB> - SiC composite body at ambient pressures, including blending a first predetermined amount Of ZrB<SUB>2</SUB> powder with a second predetermined amount of SiC powder, wherein both powders are characterized by the presence of surface oxide impurities. Next the blended powders are mixed to yield a substantially homogeneous powder mixture and a portion of the substantially homogeneous powder mixture is formed into a green body. The body is fired to a first temperature, wherein substantially all surface oxide impurities are reduced and/or volatilized to substantially eliminate oxides from the green body, and the body is heated to a second temperature and sintered to yield a composite body of at least about 99 percent theoretical density and characterized by SiC whisker-like inclusions distributed substantially evenly in a ZrB<SUB>2 </SUB>matrix.