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.

An embodiment of a PCD insert comprises an embodiment of a PCD element joined to a cemented carbide substrate at an interface. The PCD element has internal diamond surfaces defining interstices between them. The PCD element comprises a masked or passivated region and an unmasked or unpassivated region, the unmasked or unpassivated region defining a boundary with the substrate, the boundary being the interface. At least some of the internal diamond surfaces of the masked or passivated region contact a mask or passivation medium, and some or all of the interstices of the masked or passivated region and of the unmasked or unpassivated region are at least partially filled with an infiltrant material.

A method for making a braking band (2) for a brake disc (1) for a disc brake, comprising the following steps: a) preparing a mold (10) having an inner cavity (11), which comprises a first portion (11a) of a shape corresponding to the braking band (2) to be made; b) preparing a band preform (20) comprising a central preform (200), an upper outer preform (201) and a lower outer preform (202), said central preform (200) being made of porous ceramic material comprising silicon carbide (SiC), said upper outer preform (201) and lower outer preform (202) being made of porous ceramic material comprising silicon carbide (SiC) and infiltrated with silicon (SiC+Si), wherein a carbon barrier layer (201a, 200a, 200b, 202a) made of carbon is interposed between the upper outer preform (201) and the central preform (200) and between the lower outer preform (202) and the central preform (200), said preforms (200, 201, 202) having the shape of the braking band (2) to be made; c) placing said band preform (20) inside the mold at the first portion (11a) of said inner cavity (11); and d) injecting a liquid or semi-solid aluminum alloy inside the entire inner cavity (11) of the mold (11) to infiltrate the central preform (200) of said band preform (20) made of porous ceramic material with said aluminum alloy, obtaining at the first portion (11a) an aluminum metal matrix composite reinforced by said central preform (200) which defines the braking band (2) to be made. A braking band and a brake disc are made with at least the aforesaid method.

A ceramic matrix composite component and a ceramic insert, and a method for producing the same. The ceramic matrix composite component may include an exterior surface comprising silicon fibers in a silicon carbide matrix. The insert may include a continuous porosity bonded to the exterior surface of the ceramic matrix composite component. The silicon carbide matrix of the ceramic matrix composite component may extend into the porosity of the ceramic insert to bond the ceramic insert to the ceramic matrix composite component.

A process and an apparatus for densifying a porous structure is disclosed. The porous structure comprises a first surface, a second surface, an inner diameter surface and an outer diameter surface. The process may comprise progressive densification in conjunction with thermal gradient and/or pressure gradient densification processes.

A joined body 20 according to the present invention includes a first member 22 made of a porous ceramic, a second member 24 made of a metal, and a joint 30 formed of an oxide ceramic of a transition metal, the joint 30 joining the first member 22 to the second member 24. Alternatively, a joined body may include a first member made of a dense material, a second member made of a dense material, and a joint formed of an oxide ceramic of a transition metal, the joint joining the first member to the second member.

The disclosure describes techniques for forming a surface layer of an article including a CMC using a cast. In some examples, the surface layer includes three-dimensional surface features, which may increase adhesion between the CMC and a coating on the CMC. In some examples, the surface layer may include excess material, with or without three-dimensional surface features, which is on the CMC. The excess material may be machined to remove some of the excess material and facilitate conforming the article to dimensional tolerances, e.g., for fitting the article to another component. The excess material may reduce a likelihood that the CMC (e.g., reinforcement material in the CMC) is damaged by the machining.

A system and method for forming a porous ceramic preform is provided. The method may include forming a stacked powder structure including a binder layer and a powder layer on the binder layer. The binder layer may be formed by depositing a binder with a spray nozzle on a substrate. The powder layer may be formed by depositing a powder on the binder layer. The porous ceramic preform may be formed by heating the stacked powder structure to pyrolyze the binder. The porous ceramic preform is configured to be infiltrated by a molten material. The substrate may comprise a ceramic fiber preform. After melt infiltration of the porous ceramic preform and the ceramic fiber preform, a densified ceramic feature having a predetermined geometry may be formed on a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component.

A ceramic matrix composite component includes a first substrate and a second substrate each formed of a silicide-containing ceramic matrix composite, silicon carbide layers respectively coating a bonding surface of the first substrate and a bonding surface of the second substrate, and a bonding layer formed of a silicon-containing alloy and provided between the silicon carbide layer coating the bonding surface of the first substrate and the silicon carbide layer coating the bonding surface of the second substrate.

A method of forming an integral fastener for a ceramic matrix composite component comprises the steps of forming a fiber preform, applying a polymer material to the fiber preform to form a rigid preform structure, machining an opening in the rigid preform structure, forming a fiber fastener, inserting the fiber fastener into the opening, removing the polymer material, and infiltrating a matrix material into the rigid preform structure and fiber fastener to form a ceramic matrix composite component with an integral fastener. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.