Claims
- 1. A method of preparing a test article having an array of inorganic compositions comprising the steps of:
a. casting a substrate slurry in a mold of a selected shape, said substrate slurry containing at least an inorganic powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer; b. polymerizing said monomer so that said substrate slurry forms a hydrogel; c. drying said hydrogel to form a substantially solid ceramic green substrate; d. machining a plurality of cavities into at least one surface of said green substrate; e. rehydrating said green substrate by reintroducing said solvent; f. depositing test slurries into at least two of said cavities, each of said test slurries comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, at least two of said test slurries differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test slurries differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic; and g. polymerizing said monomer in said test slurries in said cavities to form a plurality of test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the additional step of drying said shape to form a dried green body.
- 3. A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the additional step of sintering said green body to form a sintered body.
- 4. A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the additional step of machining at least one secondary cavity into said at least one surface of dried said green body.
- 5. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising the additional steps of:
a. depositing a secondary test slurry into said secondary cavity, said secondary test slurry comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said secondary test slurry differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic; and b. polymerizing said monomer in said secondary test slurry in said cavity to form a secondary test material in said cavity, said secondary test material differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
- 7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently large to substantially prevent undesired interdiffusion of test materials.
- 8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently small to allow desired interdiffusion of test materials.
- 9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
- 10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
- 11. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
- 12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
- 13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
- 14. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
- 15. A method of preparing a test article having an array of inorganic compositions comprising the steps of:
a. casting a substrate slurry in a mold of a selected shape, said substrate slurry containing at least an inorganic powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said selected shape including a plurality of cavities in at least one surface of said green substrate; b. polymerizing said monomer so that said substrate slurry forms a hydrogel; c. depositing test slurries into at least two of said cavities, each of said test slurries comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, at least two of said test slurries differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test slurries differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic; and d. polymerizing said monomer in said test slurries in said cavities to form a plurality of test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 16. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising the additional step of drying said shape to form a dried green body.
- 17. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising the additional step of sintering said green body to form a sintered body.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising the additional step of forming at least one secondary cavity into said at least one surface of dried said green body.
- 19. A method in accordance with claim 18 further comprising the additional steps of:
a. depositing a secondary test slurry into said secondary cavity, said secondary test slurry comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said secondary test slurry differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic; and b. polymerizing said monomer in said secondary test slurry in said cavity to form a secondary test material in said cavity, said secondary test material differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
- 21. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently large to substantially prevent undesired interdiffusion of test materials.
- 22. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently small to allow desired interdiffusion of test materials.
- 23. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
- 24. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
- 25. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
- 26. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
- 27. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
- 28. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
- 29. A method of preparing a test article having an array of inorganic compositions comprising the steps of:
a. providing a green gelcast substrate defining a plurality of cavities in at least one surface thereof; b. depositing test slurries into at least two of said cavities, each of said test slurries comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, at least two of said test slurries differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test slurries differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic; and c. polymerizing said monomer in said test slurries in said cavities to form a plurality of test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 30. A method in accordance with claim 29 further comprising the additional step of drying said shape to form a dried green body.
- 31. A method in accordance with claim 30 further comprising the additional step of sintering said green body to form a sintered body.
- 32. A method in accordance with claim 29 further comprising the additional step of forming at least one secondary cavity into said at least one surface of dried said green body.
- 33. A method in accordance with claim 32 further comprising the additional steps of:
a. depositing a secondary test slurry into said secondary cavity, said secondary test slurry comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said secondary test slurry differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic; and b. polymerizing said monomer in said secondary test slurry in said cavity to form a secondary test material in said cavity, said secondary test material differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 34. A method in accordance with claim 33 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
- 35. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently large to substantially prevent undesired interdiffusion of test materials.
- 36. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently small to allow desired interdiffusion test materials.
- 37. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
- 38. A method in accordance with claim 37 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
- 39. A method in accordance with claim 37 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
- 40. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
- 41. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
- 42. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
- 43. A method in accordance with any of the preceding claims further comprising the additional step of evaluating at least one physical property of at least one of said test materials.
- 44. A method in accordance with claim 43 wherein said evaluating step comprises testing for at least one property from the group consisting of: optical properties; magnetic permeability; dielectric permittivity; loss tangent; microstructural features; microhardness; surface catalytic activity; biological activity; corrosion resistance; oxidation resistance; luminescence, cathodoluminescence; and scintillation.
- 45. A combinatorial library comprising a gelcast substrate defining a plurality of cavities in at least one surface thereof; and a plurality of gelcast test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 46. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said gelcast substrate further defines at least one secondary cavity.
- 47. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 46 wherein said secondary cavity contains a secondary test material that differs from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
- 48. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 47 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
- 49. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said test materials are not significantly interdiffused.
- 50. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said test materials are interdiffused.
- 51. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
- 52. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 51 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
- 53. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 51 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
- 54. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
- 55. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
- 56. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
Government Interests
[0001] The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to contract no. DE-AC05-000R22725 between the United States Department of Energy and UT-Battelle, LLC.