Abstract: A method for preparing a refractory carbide component includes the steps of providing a carbon rich polymer precursor to silicon carbide and excess carbon, determining an amount of excess carbon in the carbon rich polymer precursor, combining the carbon rich polymer precursor with a selected amount of refractory metal to form a precursor/metal mixture, the selected amount being selected so as to provide stoichiometrically equivalent amounts of the excess carbon and the refractory metal, forming the mixture into a preform of a propulsion component, and heating the preform so as to thermally degrade the carbon rich polymer precursor to produce the silicon carbide and the excess carbon, the excess carbon and the refractory metal reacting to form refractory metal carbide and provide the refractory carbide component.

Abstract: A method for preparing a refractory carbide component includes the steps of providing a carbon rich polymer precursor to silicon carbide and excess carbon, determining an amount of excess carbon in the carbon rich polymer precursor, combining the carbon rich polymer precursor with a selected amount of refractory metal to form a precursor/metal mixture, the selected amount being selected so as to provide stoichiometrically equivalent amounts of the excess carbon and the refractory metal, forming the mixture into a preform of a propulsion component, and heating the preform so as to thermally degrade the carbon rich polymer precursor to produce the silicon carbide and the excess carbon, the excess carbon and the refractory metal reacting to form refractory metal carbide and provide the refractory carbide component.

Abstract: A braided preform fabrication for annular refractory articles such as an integral monolithic throat section and exit cone of a rocket motor nozzle is formed on a mandrel and includes closely spaced radially oriented carbon rods that extend to a uniform length from the mandrel surface and carbon fibers braided on the surface of the mandrel around the carbon rods in a triaxial braid whereby the fabrication has a 4-D fiber architecture. The density of the fabrication is increased by a process that is repeated four times and involves the steps of vacuum impregnation thereof with pitch, subjecting the impregnated preform to high pressure at a temperature that is gradually increased to about 700.degree. C. to convert the pitch to coke and to form the braided preform and mandrel into a billet, and producing graphitization of the braided preform by subjecting the billet to an argon atmosphere in a vacuum furnace at a temperature that is gradually increased to 2,500.degree. C.