Abstract: The method of preparing very dense tungsten carbide bodies. A substantially stoichiometric mixture is prepared from tungsten particles and a carbon precursor, the precursor being a vinylidene chloride based polymeric material such as SARAN. A green body is pressed from the mixture, and said body is initially heated at a controlled rate to decompose on the order of 20% of the polymeric material, providing HCl gas which reacts with oxide contaminants on the metal particles to provide a clean, reactive metal surface for later reaction with the carbon. An intermediate baking step is provided to controllably evolve the gaseous products that result from continued decomposition of the polymeric material. After subsequent heating to 800.degree.-1300.degree. C, the body may be cooled to room temperature and machined to provide threads, apertures or the like. When the body is subsequently heated to about 2000.degree. C, it shrinks to provide a very hard, dense body with a typical density between 14 and 15 g/cc.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of converting organic materials to dense bodies of homogeneous amorphous carbon or graphite. The organic material is converted by pyrolysis to an amorphous plastic carbon precursor which is then comminuted. The plastic carbon precursor particles are pressed into a monolithic body without the use of any binder material and the precursor body converted to carbon or graphite by application of heat at controlled rates.