Claims
- 1. A graphite brazing and coating composition comprising a slurry of particulate uranium oxide, particulate hafnium carbide and a thermosetting resin, said composition being characterized by the uranium oxide being converted to uranium dicarbide at an elevated temperature, and being also converted at a higher temperature of about 2600.degree. C. to a liquid phase of the uranium dicarbide and hafnium carbide.
- 2. The composition claimed in claim 1, wherein the uranium oxide is uranium dioxide.
- 3. The composition claimed in claim 1, wherein the uranium oxide and the hafnium carbide are in particulate form in a size range of about 100 to 325 mesh, and wherein the volume ratio of hafnium carbide to uranium oxide is about 2:1.
- 4. The composition claimed in claim 3 wherein the resin component is phenolic resin in an acetone diluent, and wherein the resin component provides about 20 to 35 vol.% of the composition.
- 5. A method for joining graphite structures by brazing comprising the steps of:
- placing a slurry comprising particulate uranium oxide, particulate hafnium carbide and a thermosetting resin intermediate the fay surfaces of the graphite structures to be joined;
- heating the joint area to a temperature adequate to effect the conversion of the uranium oxide to uranium dicarbide; and
- then raising the temperature of the joint area to a temperature of about 2800.degree. C. to sequentially form a liquid phase of the uranium dicarbide and hafnium dicarbide at a temperature of about 2600.degree. C. and then effect the diffusion and vaporization of the uranium from the liquid phase as the temperature increases to about 2800.degree. C. to provide a brazed joint consisting essentially of hafnium carbide between the graphite structures.
- 6. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the volume ratio of hafnium carbide to uranium oxide in the slurry is about 2:1.
- 7. The method claimed in claim 6, including the additional steps of heating the joint area to a temperature adequate to thermoset the resin and then finishing the joint area to desired final dimensions prior to the step of heating the joint area to convert the uranium oxide to uranium dicarbide.
Government Interests
This invention was made as a result of a contract with the United States Department of Energy.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
116653 |
Jan 1959 |
SUX |