PRODUCTION OF SUBMICRON SPHERICAL CERAMIC PARTICLES

HIGH PURITY, SUBMICRON, SPHERICAL, HIGH SURFACE AREA PARTICLES OF COVALENT CERAMICS ARE KEY TO ACHIEVING SELF SINTERED, HIGH DENSITY MATERIALS WHICH EXHIBIT HIGH STRENGTHAND CREEP RESISTANCE AT HIGH TEMPERATURES. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE COVALENT CERAMIC PARTICLES, WHICH ARE ALL IMPORTED, ARE LACKING DUE TO OFF STOICHIOMETRY, HAVE OXIDE AND OTHER IMPURITIES, ARE IRREGULAR SHAPED, GENERALLY SEVERAL MICRONS IN DIAMETER WITH LOW SURFACE AREA REQUIRING LIQUID PHASE SINTERING AIDS, WHICH LEADS TO POOR HIGH TEMPERATURE STRENGTH AND CREEP RESISTANCE. THIS PROGRAM WILL INVESTIGATE A SIMPLE BUT UNIQUE PROCESS THAT WILL PRODUCE STOICHIOMETRIC HIGH PURITY, SUBMICRON, SPHERICAL CERAMIC PARTICLES WITH A VERY HIGH SURFACE AREA WHICH WILL PERMIT SELF SINTERING OF COVALENTLY BONDED CERAMICS RESULTING IN ACHIEVING HIGH STRENGTH AND CREEP RESISTANCE ATHIGH TEMPERATURES. THIS PROCESS WHICH WILL DEMONSTRATE SI3N4 AND SIC PARTICLES CAN BE PROJECTED, TO PRODUCE THESE HIGHLY DESIRABLE CERAMIC PARTICLES 5-9 TIMES MORE ECONOMICALLY THAN CURRENT PARTICLES AND OBVIATE THE NEED TO IMPORT THESE PARTICLES.