The invention relates to a grain for production of a refractory product, to the use of such grains, to a refractory product, to a process for producing a refractory product and to a refractory product produced thereby.

A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object using a refractory matrix material is provided. The method includes the additive manufacture of a green body from a powder-based refractory matrix material followed by densification via chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). The refractory matrix material can be a refractory ceramic (e.g., silicon carbide, zirconium carbide, or graphite) or a refractory metal (e.g., molybdenum or tungsten). In one embodiment, the matrix material is deposited according to a binder-jet printing process to produce a green body having a complex geometry. The CVI process increases its density, provides a hermetic seal, and yields an object with mechanical integrity. The residual binder content dissociates and is removed from the green body prior to the start of the CVI process as temperatures increase in the CVI reactor. The CVI process selective deposits a fully dense coating on all internal and external surfaces of the finished object.

Metal containing polymer compositions, useful for the production of high temperature metal carbide ceramics are described, including poly(carbohafnocene) compositions and related poly(carbometallocene) compositions, as well as compositions formed from the reaction of hafnium chloride and 2-butyne-1,4-diol. Methods of synthesizing such compositions are provided.

An object shaping method includes a step of forming a powder layer using first powder, a step of placing second powder having an average particle diameter smaller than an average particle diameter of the first powder at a part of a region of the powder layer, and a first heating step of heating the powder layer in which the second powder is placed. The average particle diameter is equal to or larger than 1 nm and equal to or smaller than 500 nm, and the first heating step performs heating the powder layer at a temperature at which particles contained in the second powder are sintered or melted.

A cutting element comprises a supporting substrate, and a cutting table attached to an end of the supporting substrate. The cutting table comprises inter-bonded diamond particles, and a thermally stable material within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond particles. The thermally stable material comprises a carbide precipitate having the general chemical formula, A.sub.3XZ.sub.n-1, where A comprises one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, and U; X comprises one or more of Al, Ga, Sn, Be, Bi, Te, Sb, Se, As, Ge, Si, B, and P; Z comprises C; and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.75. A method of forming a cutting element, an earth-boring tool, a supporting substrate, and a method of forming a supporting substrate are also described.

A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object using a refractory matrix material is provided. The method includes the additive manufacture of a green body from a powder-based refractory matrix material followed by densification via chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). The refractory matrix material can be a refractory ceramic (e.g., silicon carbide, zirconium carbide, or graphite) or a refractory metal (e.g., molybdenum or tungsten). In one embodiment, the matrix material is deposited according to a binder-jet printing process to produce a green body having a complex geometry. The CVI process increases its density, provides a hermetic seal, and yields an object with mechanical integrity. The residual binder content dissociates and is removed from the green body prior to the start of the CVI process as temperatures increase in the CVI reactor. The CVI process selective deposits a fully dense coating on all internal and external surfaces of the finished object.

Provided are a SiC/ZrC composite fiber, a preparation method and use thereof. The SiC/ZrC composite fiber has a diameter of 10 to 70 m. The method includes mixing liquid polycarbosilane with a zirconium-containing polymer to obtain a hybrid spinning solution, and then performing electrospinning to obtain a SiC/ZrC composite fiber precursor, crosslinking and thermally treating the SiC/ZrC composite fiber precursor in a protective atmosphere to obtain the SiC/ZrC composite fiber. The SiC/ZrC composite fiber is continuous and uniform, has an adjustable diameter, and thus has outstanding tensile strength and breaking strength and excellent high-temperature resistance. Without use of any organic solvent or spinning agent, the method achieves short process flow and high yield, indicating wide application prospects.

According to some embodiments, a system includes a three-dimensional (3D) printer, a hydraulic press, and a kiln. The three-dimensional printer includes a print bed, a first printhead, and a second printhead. The first printhead is configured to deposit a layer of a first powder on the print bed. The second printhead is configured to deposit a layer of a second powder on the print bed. The hydraulic press is configured to compress a greenware to form a compressed greenware. The kiln is configured to heat the compressed greenware to a reaction temperature to form an object. The object is surrounded by an excess of the first powder. The kiln is also configured to heat the object surrounded by the excess of the first powder to a melting temperature. The melting temperature is at least the melting point of the first powder and less than the melting point of the object.

To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

A cutting element comprises a supporting substrate, and a cutting table attached to an end of the supporting substrate. The cutting table comprises inter-bonded diamond particles, and a thermally stable material within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond particles. The thermally stable material comprises a carbide precipitate having the general chemical formula, A.sub.3XZ.sub.n-1, where A comprises one or more of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, Pa, and U; X comprises one or more of Al, Ga, Sn, Be, Bi, Te, Sb, Se, As, Ge, Si, B, and P; Z comprises C; and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.75. A method of forming a cutting element, an earth-boring tool, a supporting substrate, and a method of forming a supporting substrate are also described.