Abstract: Silicon infiltration technology is used to produce ceramic bodies having utility as ballistic armor. In a first aspect of the invention, the ballistic armor includes a reaction-bonded silicon carbide body (RBSC). Good ballistic performance can be advanced by loading the permeable mass or preform to be infiltrated to a high degree with one or more hard fillers, and by limiting the size of the largest particles making up the mass. In a second aspect, the silicon infiltration technology, e.g., siliconizing or reaction-bonding, is used to bond silicon carbide fibers to at least the back surface of a ceramic armor body, thereby enhancing ballistic stopping power. A third aspect of the invention pertains to the ability to engineer RBSC bodies such that there is little dimensional change during processing, thereby permitting high dimensional reproducibility in large-scale production.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a self-supporting ceramic composite comprising (1) a ceramic matrix obtained by oxidation of an aluminum zinc alloy to form a polycrystalline oxidation reaction product of the metal with an oxidant, and (2) one or more fillers embedded by the matrix. The metal alloy and permeable mass of filler having at least one defined surface boundary are oriented relative to each other so that formation of the oxidation reaction product will occur into said mass of filler and in a direction towards said defined surface boundary. On heating the metal to a first temperature above its melting point but below the melting point of said oxidation reaction product to form a body of molten parent metal, the molten metal reacts with said oxidant to form said oxidation reaction product which infiltrates said mass of filler to said defined surface boundary.