| abstract |
Novel self-supporting oxide ceramic materials are produced by the reaction of a molten metal with a vapor phase oxidizing environment using a novel oxidation mechanism. The process is practiced by creating conditions under which the molten is drawn into and through the oxide reaction product to cause continued growth of oxide at the oxide/ atmosphere interface. Under the special conditions of the process invention, molten metal is transported along certain of the intersections of the oxide crystallites by virtue of a preferred wetting phenomenon, such that interconnected channels of the liquid metal are formed where grain boundaries of relatively high surface energy would otherwise occur in the oxide. The resulting novel ceramic product consists of an oxide phase which is interconnected largely through relatively low energy grain boundaries and a metal phase (or porosity in place of the metal phase) also at least partially interconnected. |