Abstract: A method of producing silicon carbide (SiC) heating and lighting elements, by mixing a quantity of finely-divided particles of carbon in a binder; shaping, the mixture; applying finely-divided particles of elemental silicon over the shaped mixture; and heating the shaped mixture in a furnace, while subjected to a vacuum, to vaporize and diffuse the silicon and to react the silicon vapor with the carbon in the binder, to convert the carbon to silicon carbide. The silicon particles includes a dopant to reduce the internal resistance of the produced silicon carbide to a value of up to a few hundred &sgr;hm-cms.

Abstract: A method of producing silicon carbide (SiC) high-temperature sensor elements by mixing a quantity of finely-divided particles of carbon in a binder; shaping, the mixture; applying finely-divided particles of elemental silicon over the shaped mixture; and heating the shaped mixture in a furnace, while subjected to a vacuum, to vaporize and diffuse the silicon and to react the silicon vapor with the carbon in the binder to convert the carbon to silicon carbide. The silicon particles are substantially free of dopants to produce a silicon carbide high-temperature sensor element having a high internal resistance of at least hundreds of Kilohm-cms.

Abstract: A method of producing finely-divided particles of silicon carbide (SiC), by introducing into a furnace a crucible containing a layer of finely-divided particles of carbon and a layer of finely-divided particles of elemental silicon separated by a layer permeable to silicon vapor; subjecting the interior of the furnace to a vacuum; and heating the crucible to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficiently long period of time to vaporize and diffuse the silicon and to react the silicon vapor with the carbon particles to convert them to silicon carbide particles.