Abstract: A method to form a displacement includes disposing a powder blend (comprising a plurality of ground ceramic particles and a plurality of ground resin particles) into a mold, densifying the powder blend while in the mold, heating the mold to form a first displacement, impregnating said first displacement with a polymer precursor compound to form a second displacement, and heating the second displacement to form a third displacement.

Abstract: A method to form a displacement for use in a metal casting process, wherein the method provides a plurality of ceramic particles and a plurality of resin particles. The method grinds the plurality of ceramic particles until those ceramic particles comprise diameters less than 150 microns, and grinds the plurality of resin particles until those resin particles comprise diameters less than 100 microns, and forms a powder blend comprising the plurality of ground ceramic particles and the plurality of ground resin particles. The method then disposes the powder blend into a mold comprising a cavity defining the desired displacement. The method further densifies the blend, and cures the resin to form the displacement.