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US4795677A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Oxidation-inhibited carbon-carbon composites

Assignee: General Atomics Corp
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Filing: 1987-08-03
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Granted: 1989-01-03
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Expires: 2007-08-03
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Abstract

Abstract Carbon-carbon composites consisting of graphite fibers reinforcing a carbon matrix are protected from oxidation by a B2O3 glass coating which includes a refractory oxide to stabilize the viscosity of the glass. Precursors of B2O3 and the refractory oxide are dispersed into a resin, the resin is used to impregnate fibrous graphite or fibrous graphitizable material, the sheets are laid up as plies and the laid-up plies are carbonized and graphitized using heat structure. The composite structure is then coated with an additional mix of resin and precursors and the coated structure is heated to carbonize the resin and leave a seal coat on the structure. Then an outer shell of a refractory material is deposited on the structure.

Inventors

  • 👤 Paul B. Gray

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 03:21
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B41/00; C04B41/009; C04B35/00; C04B35/71; C04B35/78; C04B35/80; C04B35/83; C04B41/45; C04B41/50; C04B41/5025; C04B41/80; C04B41/81; C04B41/85; C04B41/87; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/30; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/20; Y10T442/2549; Y10T442/2557

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
An oxygen-resistant structure comprising a carbonous structural matrix formed with interstices throughout, a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, said metal or metalloid being dispersed throughout said matrix and comprising between about 5 and about 200 weight percent of said matrix, and boron, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, said boron being dispersed throughout said matrix and comprising between about 3 and about 300 weight percent of said matrix, said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said matrix; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
An oxygen-resistant structure comprising a carbonous structural matrix formed with interstices throughout, a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, said metal or metalloid being dispersed throughout said matrix and comprising between about 5 and about 200 weight percent of said matrix, and boron, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, said boron being dispersed throughout said matrix and comprising between about 3 and about 300 weight percent of said matrix, said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said matrix; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 145 words
An oxygen-resistant, high-temperature composite comprising a structure which includes a carbonous matrix formed with interstices throughout and reinforcing, high-temperature fibers disposed within said matrix, a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, dispersed throughout said structure, said metal or metalloid comprising between about 5 and about 200 weight percent of said matrix, and boron, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, dispersed throughout said strccture, said boron comprising between about 3 and about 300 weight percent of said matrix; said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said matrix; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 145 words
An oxygen-resistant, high-temperature composite comprising a structure which includes a carbonous matrix formed with interstices throughout and reinforcing, high-temperature fibers disposed within said matrix, a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, dispersed throughout said structure, said metal or metalloid comprising between about 5 and about 200 weight percent of said matrix, and boron, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, dispersed throughout said strccture, said boron comprising between about 3 and about 300 weight percent of said matrix; said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said matrix; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
An oxygen-resistant composite according to claim 2 in combination with an outer refractory coating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
A combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein said outer refractory coating is formed of material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide and silicon nitride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 53 words
An oxygen-resistant composite according to claim 2 having a seal coat covering the structural surfaces of said composite, said seal coat comprising additional boron and additional metal or metalloid, said boron and metal or metalloid of said seal coat oxidizing in a high temperature, oxidizing environment to further protect said composite from oxidation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
A composite according to claim 5 in combination with an outer refractory coating that covers said composite structure and said seal coat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 14 words
A composite in accordance with claim 2 wherein said reinforcing fibers are carbon fibers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
A composite in accordance with claim 2 wherein said metal or metalloid is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, Al, Y, Sc, La, Si and Ce.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 146 words
A method of preparing an oxygen-resistant carbonous structure comprising providing a carbon char-yielding material, in said char-yielding material, dispersing boron, in either elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 5 and about 140 weight percent of said char-yielding material and also dispersing a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 15 and about 100 weight percent of said char-yielding material, and heating said char-yielding material to carbonize the same and thereby form a carbonous matrix, said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said matrix; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 146 words
A method of preparing an oxygen-resistant carbonous structure comprising providing a carbon char-yielding material, in said char-yielding material, dispersing boron, in either elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 5 and about 140 weight percent of said char-yielding material and also dispersing a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 15 and about 100 weight percent of said char-yielding material, and heating said char-yielding material to carbonize the same and thereby form a carbonous matrix, said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said matrix; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 172 words
A method of preparing an oxygen-resistant composite cmmprising providing a carbon char-yielding material, in said char-yielding material dispersing boron, in either elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 5 and about 140 weight percent of said char-yielding material and also dispersing a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 15 and about 100 weight percent of said char-yielding material, impregnating reinforcing, high-temperature fibers with said dispersion, forming a three-dimension structure with said dispersion-impregnated fibers, and heating said three-dimensional structure to carbonize said char-yielding material and thereby form a carbonous structure in which a carbonous matrix is reinforced by said fibers; said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said carbonous structure; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 172 words
A method of preparing an oxygen-resistant composite cmmprising providing a carbon char-yielding material, in said char-yielding material dispersing boron, in either elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 5 and about 140 weight percent of said char-yielding material and also dispersing a metal or metalloid, in elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, at between about 15 and about 100 weight percent of said char-yielding material, impregnating reinforcing, high-temperature fibers with said dispersion, forming a three-dimension structure with said dispersion-impregnated fibers, and heating said three-dimensional structure to carbonize said char-yielding material and thereby form a carbonous structure in which a carbonous matrix is reinforced by said fibers; said boron and said metal or metalloid oxidizing when exposed to a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide within the interstices and at the surface of said carbonous structure; at high temperatures the metal oxide or metalloid oxide which forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase of the boron oxide which forms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 65 words
A method according to claim 10 further comprising dispersing boron an a metal or metalloid, each in either elemental and/or as an oxidizable moiety, in a carbon char-yielding material, applying said dispersion to the surface of said carbonous structure, and heating said structure to carbonize the char-yielding material in said surface-applied dispersion, thereby forming a seal coat over the outer surfaces of said carbonous structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method according to claim 11 wherein the metal or metalloid is provided in an amount sufficient to ultimately provide its oxide at from about 3 to about 25 mole percent of the B 2 O 3 that is ultimately formed in said seal coat.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 11 further comprising overcoating said seal coat with a outer coating of refractory material.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 135 words
A method of protecting a high-temperature structure from oxidation comprising dispersing, in a carbon char-yielding material, boron and a metal or metalloid, each in either elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, the metal or metalloid, calculated as the metal oxide or metalloid oxide being provided, at from about 3 to about 25 mole percent of boron, calculated as B 2 O 3 ; applying said dispersion to surfaces of said structure; and carbonizing said char-yielding material thereon to form a seal coat; said boron and metal or metalloid in said seal coat ultimately oxidizing in a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and metal oxide or metalloid oxide; at high temperatures, the metal oxide or metalloid oxide that forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase the B 2 O 3 that forms.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 135 words
A method of protecting a high-temperature structure from oxidation comprising dispersing, in a carbon char-yielding material, boron and a metal or metalloid, each in either elemental form and/or as an oxidizable moiety, the metal or metalloid, calculated as the metal oxide or metalloid oxide being provided, at from about 3 to about 25 mole percent of boron, calculated as B 2 O 3 ; applying said dispersion to surfaces of said structure; and carbonizing said char-yielding material thereon to form a seal coat; said boron and metal or metalloid in said seal coat ultimately oxidizing in a high-temperature, oxidizing environment to form boron oxide and metal oxide or metalloid oxide; at high temperatures, the metal oxide or metalloid oxide that forms stabilizing the viscosity of the molten phase the B 2 O 3 that forms.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4442165A Cited
US4439382A Cited
US4429003A Cited
US4668579A Cited
US4515847A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-01-03 1992-07-04 1993-01-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-01-03 1996-07-04 1997-01-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-01-03 2000-07-04 2001-01-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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