Refractory-oxide-based incandescible radiators and method of making

摘要

Refractory-oxide-based elongated incandescent radiator has a body portion which principally comprises refractory oxide with from about 8 volume percent to 20 volume percent of refractory metal dispersed therein. Such members are normally not sufficiently conducting to enable them to be self-resistance heated to a condition of incandescence. The room-temperature conductivity of such a member is greatly increased by heating the initially sintered member during fabrication thereof to a temperature of at least about 1400 DEG C while simultaneously subjecting the heated member to the influence of an electric field having an intensity of at least about 5 volts/mm. The completely processed members can be self-resistance heated to a condition of incandescence without the use of supplemental heaters. In its preferred form the radiator carries thereon a thin oxide coating, in order to improve the visible-radiation-emission characteristics. These radiators have utility as incandescent elements in light sources.