Provided is a ceramic composite including boron nitride (BN) and titanium diboride (TiB.sub.2) for use in 2-D and 3-D heating element applications. The ceramic composite can be used in heater applications without a protective coating. The ceramic composite may be corrosion resistant against oxygen and moisture up to, for example, a temperature of 900° C., and may offer increased corrosion resistance against molten or vapor metal, including aluminum. The ceramic composite may be sufficiently rigid and may not require additional dielectric structural support. The ceramic composite may be sufficiently fracture resistant to enable machining of intricate and complex patterns and designs with a high aspect ratio of the coil length to width or thickness. The ceramic composite may be used with any heater shape, orientation, and size.

A thermocouple is provided that can measure a temperature of a material in a high temperature range of 1500° C. or higher with high accuracy at low cost. The thermocouple includes a first conductive member and a second conductive member. The first conductive member and the second conductive member are connected to each other to form a temperature sensing junction. The first conductive member contains a first conductive ceramic containing zirconium diboride and/or titanium diboride silicon carbide, a sintering agent, and unavoidable impurities. In the first conductive ceramic, the content of the silicon carbide is 5 mass % or more and 40 mass % or less. The second conductive member contains a second conductive ceramic containing boron carbide as a main constituent material.

Embodiments include a method of forming an initiator. The method includes placing an energetic powder in a container. A solvent is added to the container and the solvent and energetic powder are mixed to form a slurry mixture. The slurry mixture is filtered. The filtered slurry mixture is placed in a transfer tube. The slurry mixture is applied to a bridge wire. The slurry mixture applied to the bridge wire is then dried.

A vacuum additive manufacturing process enabling obtaining, through a single-step process, the synthesis, controlled densification and shaping of non-oxide materials as well as composite materials containing non-oxide as matrices or reinforcements, in porous as well as fully dense ceramic components, with a tailored nano-micro-macrostructure.

A method for forming a self-healing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component includes depositing a first self-healing particulate material in a first region of a CMC preform of the CMC component and depositing a second self-healing particulate material having a different chemical composition than the first self-healing particulate material in a second region of the CMC preform distinct from the first region.

Systems and methods for making ceramic powders configured with consistent, tailored characteristics and/or properties are provided herein. In some embodiments a system for making ceramic powders, includes: a reactor body having a reaction chamber and configured with a heat source to provide a hot zone along the reaction chamber; a sweep gas inlet configured to direct a sweep gas into the reaction chamber and a sweep gas outlet configured to direct an exhaust gas from the reaction chamber; a plurality of containers, within the reactor body, configured to retain at least one preform, wherein each container is configured to permit the sweep gas to flow therethrough, wherein the preform is configured to permit the sweep gas to flow there through, such that the precursor mixture is reacted in the hot zone to form a ceramic powder product having uniform properties.

The present disclosure provides a method of making a non-oxide ceramic part. The method includes obtaining a photopolymerizable slurry; selectively curing the photopolymerizable slurry to obtain a gelled article; drying the gelled article to form an aerogel article or a xerogel article; heat treating the aerogel article or the xerogel article to form a porous ceramic article; and sintering the porous ceramic article to obtain a sintered ceramic article. The photopolymerizable slurry includes non-oxide ceramic particles; at least one radiation curable monomer; a solvent; a photoinitiator; an inhibitor; and at least one sintering aid. Further, aerogels, xerogels, porous ceramic articles, and non-oxide ceramic articles are provided. In addition, methods are provided, including receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a digital object comprising data specifying an article; and generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the article based on the digital object. A system is also provided, including a display that displays a 3D model of an article; and one or more processors that, in response to the 3D model selected by a user, cause a 3D printer to create a physical object of an article.

Compositions for making wettable cathodes to be used in aluminum electrolysis cells are disclosed. The compositions generally include titanium diboride (TiB.sub.2) and metal additives. The amount of selected metal additives may result in production of electrodes having a tailored density and/or porosity. The electrodes may be durable and used in aluminum electrolysis cells.

A method for forming a self-healing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component includes depositing a first self-healing particulate material in a first region of a CMC preform of the CMC component and depositing a second self-healing particulate material having a different chemical composition than the first self-healing particulate material in a second region of the CMC preform distinct from the first region.

A method of fabricating a composite material part includes injecting under pressure a slurry containing a powder of refractory ceramic particles into a fiber texture; and draining the liquid of the slurry that has passed through the fiber texture, while retaining the powder of refractory ceramic particles within the texture to obtain a fiber preform filled with refractory ceramic particles. The injection tooling includes a porous material mold including an internal housing in which the fiber texture is placed, the slurry being injected into the fiber texture via an injection port in the injection tooling and leading into the internal housing of the mold. The tooling includes a rigid material enclosure in which the porous material mold is held while the slurry is injected under pressure and while the liquid of the slurry is drained, the liquid of the slurry being discharged via a vent present in the enclosure.