Method for Producing Non-Oxide Ceramic Powders

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The invention provides a new and cost-effective method for producing non-oxide ceramic powders, such as nitrides, carbides, borides, and especially complex layered materials known as MAX phases. Unlike conventional processes that require protective atmospheres (like argon) or vacuum to avoid oxidation, this method utilizes metal halide salts to encapsulate and protect the reactants and products during synthesis. The salt not only acts as a barrier against oxygen but also serves as a medium that facilitates the reaction. The method can be performed in air, reducing equipment costs and complexity, and produces high-purity ceramic powders with versatile applications.

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• Manufacturing high-strength, high-temperature-resistant ceramic components for aerospace, automotive, and industrial machinery.
• Producing advanced ceramics for electronic substrates, heat sinks, or electrical contacts.
• Supplying raw materials (MAX phase powders) for the production of layered, machinable ceramics used in energy and battery technologies.
• Fabricating specialized powders for coating technologies to improve wear, corrosion, or thermal resistance.
• Enabling research and scaling of novel non-oxide ceramics for next-generation functional materials.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Greatly reduces production costs by eliminating the need for expensive vacuum or inert atmosphere equipment.
• Enables synthesis in normal air conditions, simplifying operation and making large-scale production feasible.
• Produces high-purity, non-oxide ceramic powders suitable for a wide range of applications.
• Scalable to industrial quantities, supporting mass production of advanced ceramics.
• Offers flexibility in the synthesis of various ceramics, including MAX phases and traditional carbides, nitrides, and borides.
• Allows fine-tuning of product properties by adjusting composition and synthesis conditions.
• Improves safety by avoiding the need for hazardous gases or extreme vacuum systems.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a non-oxide ceramic powder comprising a nitride, a carbide, a boride or at least one MAX phase with the general composition Mn+1AXn, where M = at least one element from the group of transition elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf and Ta), A = at least one A group element from the group (Si, AI, Ga, Ge, As, Cd, In, Sn, TI and Pb), X = carbon (C) and/or nitrogen (N) and/or boron (B), and n = 1, 2 or 3. According to the invention, corresponding quantities of elementary starting materials or other precursors are mixed with at least one metal halide salt (NZ), compressed (pellet), and heated for synthesis with a metal halide salt (NZ). The compressed pellet is first enveloped with another metal halide salt, compressed again, arranged in a salt bath and heated therewith until the melting temperature of the salt is exceeded. Optionally, melted silicate can be added, which prevents the salt from evaporating at high temperatures. Advantageously, the method can be carried out in the presence of air.