Abstract: A process for controlling and thus predicting the microstructural bias of multi-phase composites to obtain preferential positioning of the component compounds in their morphology and position in the resulting microstructure to cause the grains of a first phase either to locate at the grain boundaries of a second phase, or to be homogeneously distributed in the second phase using both conventional manually mixing and advanced self-propagating high-temperature processing technologies. A process whereby a lower cost composite material performs comparably to a more expensive monolithic nature of higher performance material by causing the higher performance first phase grains to preferentially locate at the grain boundaries of the second phase during densification/fusing. A process to optimize the performance properties by preferentially biasing the microstructure to cause the phase which intrinsically has the preferred properties to influence and enhance the desired properties of the bulk composite material.

Abstract: A process for controlling and thus predicting the microstructural bias of multi-phase composites to obtain preferential positioning of the component compounds in their morphology and position in the resulting microstructure to cause the grains of a first phase either to locate at the grain boundaries of a second phase, or to be homogeneously distributed in the second phase using both conventional manually mixing and advanced self-propagating high-temperature processing technologies. A process whereby a lower cost composite material performs comparably to a more expensive monolithic nature of higher performance material by causing the higher performance first phase grains to preferentially locate at the grain boundaries of the second phase during densification/fusing. A process to optimize the performance properties by preferentially biasing the microstructure to cause the phase which intrinsically has the preferred properties to influence and enhance the desired properties of the bulk composite material.

Abstract: A process for controlling and thus predicting the microstructural bias of multi-phase composites to obtain preferential positioning of the component compounds in their morphology and position in the resulting microstructure to cause the grains of a first phase either to locate at the grain boundaries of a second phase, or to be homogeneously distributed in the second phase using both conventional manually mixing (MM) and advanced self-propagating high-temperature (SHS) processing technologies. A process whereby a lower cost composite material performs comparably to a more expensive monolithic nature of higher performance material by causing the higher performance first phase grains to preferentially locate at the grain boundaries of the second phase during densification/fusing.

Abstract: A material of manufacture comprising sub-micron particulate amorphous titanium diboride formed by a process which comprises the steps of forming a powdered reaction mixture of titanium oxide, boron oxide and magnesium, exothermically reacting the reaction mixture in an atmosphere including air to yield a reacted mass containing titanium diboride and magnesia, leaching the reacted mass with a leaching solution having a pH in the range of about 0.5 to about 8, and recovering from the leaching solution sub-micron titanium diboride having a surface area of from about 25 to about 49 m.sup.2 /gm; and a material of manufacture resulting from the hot pressing of the sub-micron particulate titanium diboride material of this invention which has a hardness of from about 2,800 to about 3,400 Knoop, an elastic modulus from about 700 to about 813 GPa, a forming temperature of from about 1500.degree. C. or less, and a grain morphology aspect ratio of from about 2:1 to about 100:1.

Abstract: A material of manufacture comprising sub-micron particulate amorphous titanium diboride formed by a process which comprises the steps of forming a powdered reaction mixture of titanium oxide, boron oxide and magnesium, exothermically reacting the reaction mixture in an atmosphere including air to yield a reacted mass containing titanium diboride and magnesia, leaching the reacted mass with a leaching solution having a pH in the range of about 0.5 to about 8, and recovering from the leaching solution sub-micron titanium diboride having a surface area of from about 25 to about 49 m.sup.2 /gm; and a material of manufacture resulting from the hot pressing of the sub-micron particulate titanium diboride material of this invention which has a hardness of from about 2800 to about 3400 Knoop, an elastic modulus from about 700 to about 813 GPa, a forming temperature of from about 1500.degree. C. or less, and a grain morphology aspect ratio of from about 2:1 to about 100:1.

Abstract: The method of making a foamed, low density shaped refractory product consisting of TiB.sub.2 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 which comprises the steps of foaming an exothermic reaction mixture consisting of TiO.sub.2, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Al, loading the reaction mixture into a self sustaining shape, locally igniting the shaped reaction mixture in air at ambient conditions and recovering the foamed, low density, shaped refractory product.

Abstract: A method of physically and chemically altering asbestos which comprises mixing the asbestos with a selected metal and reacting the mixture to form an end product including slag, in which the asbestos has been altered allowing its safe disposal or its formation into useful products.

Abstract: The method of making a foamed, low density shaped refractory product consisting of TiB.sub.2 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 which comprises the steps of foaming an exothermic reaction mixture consisting of TiO.sub.2, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Al, loading the reaction mixture into a self sustaining shape, locally igniting the shaped reaction mixture in air at ambient conditions and recovering the foamed, low density, shaped refractory product.

Abstract: A method of producing submicron titanium diboride from an initial mixture of titanium oxide, boron oxide, and magnesium, by reducing the titanium dioxide and boron oxide with magnesium in an atmosphere including air to yield a resultant product containing submicron titanium diboride and magnesia. The reduction reaction is preferably initiated by locally igniting the initial mixture. The resultant product is then cooled and leached with a leaching solution having a pH in the range of about 0.5 to about 8 to recover the sub-micron titanium diboride.