| abstract |
A process is provided for forming a material comprising an M3X1Z2 phase comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mixture of (i) at least one transition metal species, (ii) at least one co-metal species selected from the group consisting of aluminum species, germanium species and silicon species, and (iii) at least one non-metal species selected from the group consisting of boron species, carbon species and nitrogen species; (b) heating said mixture to a temperature of about 1000 °C to about 1800 °C, in an atmosphere within a substantially enclosed heating zone, for a time sufficient to form said M3X1Z2 phase, wherein the atmosphere has an O2 partial pressure of no greater than about 1 x 10-6 atm. The process provides a substantially single-phase M¿3?X1Z2 sintering a highly-pure M3X1Z2-phase powder pre-form under the conditions of step (b) may yield a dense, substantially single-phase, M3X1Z2-phase workpiece. |