Abstract: Metallic magnesium and pure magnesium oxide are produced by carbothermal reduction of starting materials such as magnesium oxide containing minor amounts of oxides of Fe, Si, Ca and Al, and/or magnesium silicate minerals, such as olivine, at subatmospheric pressure. Metallic magnesium is evaporated from a reduction zone and pure metallic magnesium and pure magnesium oxide are precipitated in a second condensation zone. Si is partly evaporated as SiO which is precipitated in a first condensation zone upstream the second condensation zone, partly converted to SiC and an alloy of Si and Fe in the reaction mixture. The starting materials may also be processed by a method wherein their magnesium component is converted to magnesium oxide in the reaction mixture, while the remaining components are converted to SiC and an alloy of Si and Fe. Au and valuable siderophilic elements may be recovered by leaching the alloy of Si and Fe.

Abstract: Silicon carbide fibers having a high mechanical strength at a high temperature, an excellent heat resistance and a uniform structure are produced by activating carbon fibers which have been produced by heat-treating organic carbon fibers such as cellulose, polyacrylonitrile or petroleum pitch, polyimide or phenol resin fibers in an oxidative gas atmosphere and carbonizing the heat-treating organic fibers in an inert gas, with an activating gas, for example, water vapor, to convert them to the activated porous carbon fibers having a specific surface area of 100 to 3,000 m.sup.2 /g, a length of 5 mm or more and a thickness of 5 to 100 .mu.m; reacting the activated porous carbon fibers with a silicon monoxide gas at a temperature of 800.degree. C. to 2,000.degree. C. under a reduced pressure of 10.sup.2 Pa or less to convert them to silicon carbide fibers having a length of 5 mm or more, without generating whiskers; and optionally the resultant silicon carbide fibers are heat-treated at a temperature of 800.

Abstract: A process for producing a carbon-filled ceramic composite material comprising a ceramic matrix and a carbon domain dispersed therein with a carbon domain diameter of from 0.01 to 30 .mu.m and a carbon domain area ratio of from 5 to 70%; comprising the steps of mixing ceramic powder, sintering aids and a carbon source, calcining the mixture at 300.degree.-600.degree. C., granulating the mixture, molding and sintering.

Abstract: A silicon carbide material in the form of fibers, sheets or three-dimensionally structured articles useful as a reinforcing material and heat-insulating material, is produced by reacting an activated porous carbon material in the form of, for example, fibers, sheets or three-dimensionally structured articles, and having a specific surface area of 100 to 2500 m.sup.2 /g, with silicon monoxide gas at a temperature of 800.degree. C. to 2000.degree. C. and then heat-treating the resultant silicon carbide material in a non-oxidative gas atmosphere containing nitrogen and substantially no oxygen at a temperature of 800.degree. C. to 2000.degree. C.

Abstract: The production of SiC whiskers and of mats thereof on a substrate by treatment, at 1250.degree. to 1500.degree. C., of a gaseous mixture including hydrogen and sources of Si and C atoms which are in the form of at least one oxygen-free compound, in the presence of a metal type catalyst, by a semi-continuous or periodic process, is characterized in that, during the growth period, an Al-Fe catalyst is introduced into the gas phase in the reaction zone, by means of carbon reduction of aluminosilicate ceramics, which comprise at least 73 weight % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 0.3 to 3.0 weight % of iron oxides and the substrate is a carbonized rayon fiber based carbon fabric which has been pre-treated, prior to carbonization, with a solution of borax and a solution of diammonium phosphate until the quantities of boron and phosphorus in the fabric do not amount to more than 4 and 2 weight %, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the formation of silicon carbide powder in which vaporized polysiloxanes are reacted and pyrolyzed in a single heating step to form the silicon carbide powder. The process is simple and inexpensive and yields powder having desirable characteristics.

Abstract: A process for the production of a metal carbide having a BET specific surface area of 10 to 200 m.sup.2 /g, in which a reaction mixture including carbon having a specific surface area of at least 200 m.sup.2 /g and a compound of the metal to be reacted with the carbon which is volatile at 900.degree. C. to 1400.degree. C. is introduced into a reactor, the reactor is scavenged by a flow of inert gas and the reaction mixture is heated under the flow of inert gas at 900.degree. to 1400.degree. C. for a time sufficient to volatilize the metal, reduce the volatilized metal compound to the metal with and carburize the metal by reaction with carbon, forming the metal carbide. The metal carbide formed is cooled under the flow of inert gas.

Abstract: Described herein is a method and apparatus for continuously growing single crystal whiskers of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide and boron nitride by the VLS process under controlled reaction conditions. A growth substrate such as a plate of solid graphite is coated with a suitable VLS catalyst and is conveyed through a tubular furnace, into which is separately introduced two feed gases. The first feed gas contains a cationic suboxide precursor such as silicon monoxide or boron monoxide. The second feed gas contains an anionic precursor compound such as methane or ammonia. The precursor compounds react upon exposure to the catalyst by the VLS process to produce crystalline whiskers. The associated apparatus includes a conveyor assembly that continuously circulates multiple substrate growth plates through the furnace and past a harvesting device which brushes the whiskers from the plates and removes them by vacuum collection. Whiskers of uniform size, shape, and purity are produced.

Abstract: Silicon carbide is produced by chemical vapor deposition at temperatures from 1340.degree.-1380.degree. C., deposition chamber pressures of 180-200 torr, H.sub.2 /methyltrichlorosilane ratio of 4-10 and deposition rate of 1-2 .mu.m/min. Furthermore, H.sub.2 supplied as a part of the gas stream contains less than about 1 part per million (ppm) O.sub.2 gas, and various means are provided to exclude particulate material from the deposition chamber. The silicon carbide is polishable to <5 .ANG. RMS as measured on a Talystep mechanical profiler and has a thermal conductivity of at least about 300 W/mk. The silicon carbide is particularly suitable for applications where high polishability and thermal conductivity is desired, such as hard disc drives and read/write heads of head-disc assemblies, and also optical apparatus which require a very high polish.

Abstract: A method of forming p-type silicon carbide which comprises using reactive source gases comprising silane, hydrogen, trimethylboron, and either diborane or boron trifluoride, to thereby attain a widened band gap by the action of the carbon contained in the trimethylboron.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a carbide compound, such as for example silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber so as to react to form raw product comprising the carbide compound.

Abstract: A process for preparing silicon carbide by carbothermal reduction is disclosed. This process involves rapidly heating a particulate reactive mixture of a silica source and a carbon source to form a product which shows improved uniformity of crystal size. The product of this process can be used to form a densified part.

Abstract: A ceramic product comprising both carbon and nitrogen and a method for its production are provided. The product is formed in a reactor having a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone in a direction generally toward the reaction zone, and is accordingly combusted in the combustion zone to produce hot combustion products. At least one reactant containing carbon, nitrogen and an additional component (i.e. silicon) is injected at the boundary between the zones into the reactor chamber so as to flow with the hot combustion products into the reaction zone and react to form the ceramic product.

Abstract: A method of producing a composite ceramic powder is provided herein. A precursor product powder is first produced in a reactor from at least one carbide-forming reactant by heating the reactant(s) by means of combustion of a fuel, and the precursor product powder as collected from the reactor is heated in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere to produce a final product comprising a carbide compound as well as a nitride compound.

Abstract: The invention is a method for growing homoepitaxial films of SiC on low-tilt-angle vicinal (0001) SiC wafers. The invention proposes and teaches a new theoretical model for the homoepitaxial growth of SiC films on (0001) SiC substrates. The inventive method consists of (1) preparing the growth surface of SiC wafers slightly off-axis (from less than 0.1.degree. to 6.degree.) from the (0001) plane, (2) subjecting the growth surface to a suitable etch, and then (3) growing the homoepitaxial film using conventional SiC growth techniques.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for producing ceramic products in a reactor so as to minimize deposits therein. The reactor has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone, into which a combustible mixture is injected, and a reaction zone in which the ceramic product is produced from at least one reactant injected into the chamber at the boundary between the zones. At least a portion of the wall defining the reaction zone is surrounded by at least one passageway through which coolant fluid is passed during ceramic production. Either carbide product or nitride product can be produced in the reaction zone according to the invention.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing a metallic carbide coating on a substrate. The invention involves providing an enclosed chamber with sources of carbon in the form of a blank and an ingot of a metal material taken from the group including titanium, boron and silicon. Electron beam guns are employed to heat the carbon source causing a carbon vapor flow within the vessel. In accordance with this invention, the metal ingot is subjected to two distinct heating steps. A first heating step preferably using an electron beam gun, melts the ingot and the molten material flows onto a refractory surface where it is subjected to a second heating step, preferably also using an electron beam gun. The plural heating approach of this invention has been found to produce significant increases in metal vaporization rate, thus permitting a higher rate of formation of metallic carbide to be provided on the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a method for the production of a silicon carbide single crystal, which includes the steps of: providing a silicon single-crystal substrate having a growth plane with a crystal orientation inclined from the [100] direction toward an off-direction, wherein the crystal orientation is defined by a deviation angle .theta. of 5 to 40 degrees, as measured from the [011] direction toward the [011] direction, and a tilt angle .phi. of 1 to 7 degrees, as measured from the [100] direction toward the off-direction; and growing a silicon carbide single crystal on the substrate.

Abstract: Crystalline silicon carbide wherein at least 90 weight percent of the silicon carbide is formed from a plurality of hexagonal crystal lattices wherein at least 80 weight percent of the crystals formed from the lattices contain at least a portion of opposing parallel base faces separated by a distance of from 0.5 to 20 microns. The crystals may be in the form of separate particles, e.g. separate platelets, or may comprise an intergrown structure. The crystalline silicon carbide of the invention is produced by heating a porous alpha silicon carbide precursor composition comprising silicon and carbon in intimate contact to a temperature of from 2100.degree. C. to 2500.degree. C. in a non-reactive atmosphere. The materials are high performance materials finding use in reinforcing, high temperature thermal insulating, improvement of thermal shock resistance, and modification of electrical properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of silicon ceramic whiskers and silicon ceramic powder from silicon fluoride and ammonia or a hydrocarbon, at an elevated temperature. According to the invention, the hydrocarbon or ammonia (4) is decomposed separately at a high temperature into reactive carbon or nitrogen and hydrogen, whereafter the carbon or nitrogen radical thus obtained is further in a gas phase contacted with reactive silicon formed therein from silicon difluoride, in order to deposit finely-divided silicon nitride or silicon carbide out from the gas phase.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a carbide compound, such as silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture comprising carbon monoxide and an oxidant is injected into the combustion zone and accordingly combusted to form hot combustion products. At least one reactant is injected at the boundary between the zones so as to be carried into the reaction zone by the combustion products and react to produce a precursor product powder comprising an oxide, such as silicon dioxide, and carbon. This precursor product powder is heated in an inert atmosphere to yield the desired carbide compound.

Abstract: The formation of dust or fines may be suppressed, during the granulation of ammonium nitrate having a nitrogen content of 28% to 34.5%, by a process in which ammonium nitrate is initially granulated to form a raw granulate containing fines, and thereafter heated and contacted by a hydrated sulfate during a second granulation step wherein the fines are affixed to the raw granulate.

Abstract: A low temperature process is described for forming a coating or powder comprising one or more metals or metal compounds by first reacting one or more metal reactants with a halide-containing reactant to form one or more reactive intermediates capable of reacting, disproportionating, or decomposing to form a coating or powder comprising the one or more metal reactants. When one or more metal compounds are formed, either as powders or as coatings, a third reactant may be injected into a second reaction zone in the reactor to contact the one or more reactive intermediates formed in the first reaction zone to thereby form one or more metal compounds such as metal nitrides, carbides, oxides, borides, or mixtures of same.

Abstract: A hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide material is used as the surface protecting layer for a photosensitive member of an electrophotographic apparatus. The carbon content (x) of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide material, expressed by the general formula a--Si.sub.1-x C.sub.x :H, ranges from 0.4 to 0.6, and the composition is such that the ratio of the peak TO amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 480 cm.sup.-1 to the peak TA amplitude appearing in the vicinity of 150 cm.sup.-1, both as observed by laser Raman spectroscope measurement using an excitation laser of Ar.sup.+ 488nm, is 2.0 or higher. Such material does not exhibit blurring of the image even when exposed to high humidity conditions.

Abstract: A process for producing fibres composed of or coated with carbides or nitrides. The process involves forming a first reaction zone containing microfine particles of an oxide (or oxide precursor) of silicon or a suitable metal (e.g. boron) uniformly mixed with carbon (or a carbon precursor); forming a second reaction zone comprising a layer having a thickness of 1 cm or less of a porous mass having a density of 1 g/cc or less formed of short or continuous fibres made of or coated with carbon (or carbon precursor); heating the first reaction zone in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to generate a gaseous sub-oxide of the silicon or metal; simultaneously heating the second reaction zone so that the gaseous sub-oxide diffuses into it and reacts with the carbon to form carbide or nitride on the fibres; and separating the resulting fibres from any carbide or nitride whiskers that may have formed in the second rection zone. Short or continuous fibres (e.g.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a product comprising a carbide compound, such as for example silicon carbide. A reactor is provided which has a chamber defined therein which is divided into a combustion zone and a reaction zone. A combustible mixture is injected into the combustion zone and accordingly combusted to form hot combustion products. At least one reactant (i.e. silane) is injected at the boundary between the zones so as to be carried into the reaction zone by the combustion products and react to form raw product comprising the carbide compound. The raw product can be purified by subsequent processing to remove oxygen and convert by-products to the desired carbide compound. The product of the invention has a low level of impurities and is made up of submicron, highly uniform particles. This makes the product particularly useful for fabrication of sintered ceramic parts.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrically conductive sintered silicon carbide body having an electric resistivity of not higher than 1 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, which is produced by(a) mixing(1) a first silicon carbide powder having a mean grain size of from 0.1 to 10 .mu.m with(2) a second silicon carbide powder having a mean grain size of not greater than 0.1 .mu.m prepared by(2-1) introducing a starting gas composed of a silane compound of silicon halide and a hydrocarbon into a plasma of a non-oxidative atmosphere, and(2-2) conducting gas phase reaction between the silane compound or silicon halide and the hydrocarbon while controlling the pressure of the reaction system within the range of from less than 1 atom to 0.1 torr, and(3) optionally, a carbon powder which is required for reducing oxides contained in both the first and second silicon carbide powders,(b) optionally reducing the oxides with the carbon, and(c) heating the resulting mixture for sintering. Also, processes of producing the same are disclosed.

Abstract: In the production of SiC whisker for composite materials such as FRP, FRM, FRC and the like by vapor phase synthesis between silicon sulfide and carbon compound, SiC whisker suitable for the continuation and mass production is produced in industrial scale by using metallic Si as a starting material through a stage of contacting the metallic silicon with hydrogen sulfide gas to produce silicon sulfide gas, and a stage of contacting the silicon sulfide gas with carbon compound and, if necessary, a formed nucleus to deposit and grow whisker.

Abstract: Method for rapidly growing silicon carbide whiskers having high aspect ratios comprising heating a carbon substrate to between about 1600.degree. C. and 1800.degree. C. and thereat contacting the substrate with a reactive atmosphere consisting essentially of gaseous species of silicon, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and a group II metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium and barium.

Abstract: A process for production of high purity, sub-micron size, silicon carbide by reacting a mixture of silica powder and carbon powder in a mixing reactor. The reactor, initially pressurized with a non-reactive gas, is indirectly heated and when the charge reaches reaction temperature a vacuum is applied. The charge is kept under a high vacuum until the reaction is complete, and is agitated to encourage release of carbon monoxide. After removal of excess carbon by low temperature oxidation, the product typically contains in excess of 99.5% silicon carbide of the beta-phase, has a surface area greater than 10m.sup.2 /gm, is free of carbon and contains no detectable unreacted silica. The product requires no post production treatment such as grinding and acid leaching.

Abstract: What is described is a process for the production of silicon via the carbothermic reduction of silicon dioxide in which silicon carbide is fed as the total reductant source or as a portion of the reductant input. The process also includes recovery and recycle to the furnace silicon monoxide and other silicon-containing materials from the by-produced gases from the furnace to maximize raw material efficiency. Finally, the process includes the recovery of value from the by-produced gases via the use of the gases as a chemical intermediate or the use of the gases as a fuel for a combustion process.

Abstract: In place of the conventional silicon source materials used in the prior art method for the preparation of silicon carbide whiskers, the inventive method utilizes a hydrolysis product of a chlorosilane compound R.sub.a SiCl.sub.4-a or a chlorodisilane compound R.sub.b Si.sub.2 Cl.sub.6-b, in which R is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, a is zero to 3 and b is 1 to 5, as the silicon source which is intimately mixed with a powder of carbon and the mixture is heated at 1400.degree. to 1700.degree. C. to give silicon carbide whiskers in a high conversion. Alternatively, the hydrolysis of the chloro(di)silane compound is performed in an aqueous medium in which a powder of carbon is dispersed in advance so that the hydrolysis product as formed is already a mixture with the carbon powder.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing silicon carbide whisker which has a cross-sectional diameter of greater than about 1 .mu.m by mixing a source of silicon atom in the form of grains having a mean grain diameter of at least 50 .mu.m with a carbon atom source in the presence of an element or compound of the element, the element being yttrium, calcium, manganese, aluminum, indium, or rare earth elements in an amount from about 100 to 2,000 ppm and growing the silicon carbide whisker therefrom.

Abstract: A process for producing silicon carbide short fibers comprises oxidizing metallic silicon powder in an oxidizing gas atmosphere into silicon monoxide in the form of ultrafine particles or gas, and carbonizing said silicon monoxide in a reducing gas atmosphere containing carbon at temperatures being lower than temperatures for producing powder and falling in a temperature range for causing a heterogenous core formation of silicon carbide, thereby producing silicon carbide short fibers. The process of the present invention is capable of mass-producing silicon carbide short fibers continuously in a short time.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of fine grains of silicon carbide which are formed by an agglomerate of submicronic grains having a specific surface area that is at least 100 m.sup.2 .multidot.g.sup.-1, which are intended in particular to serve as a carrier for catalysts for petrochemistry, and for catalytic reactions at elevated temperature which can attain 1000.degree. C., the process comprising reacting vapors of silicon monoxide SiO on carbon, being characterized by: generating vapors of SiO in a first reaction zone by heating a mixture SiO.sub.2 +Si at a temperature of between 1100.degree. and 1400.degree. C., under a pressure of between 0.1 and 1.5 hPa; and, in a second reaction zone, contacting the SiO vapors with reactive carbon in the divided state with a specific surface area that is at least equal to 200 m.sup.2 .multidot.g.sup.-1 at a temperature of between 1100.degree. and 1400.degree. C.

Abstract: A method for preparing substrates for VLS fiber producing reactions and a method for preparing SiC fibers by the VLS process. The first method includes the steps of forming an alcohol sol containing a fiber growth promoter material precursor, applying the sol to at least one surface of the substrate and drying the sol. More particularly, the steps can include forming a sol of colloidal hydrous metal oxide particles in a liquid, the metal oxide being a fiber growth promoter material precursor and the liquid being capable of dissolving a salt of the metal and of wetting the substrate surface as a sol, applying the sol to at least one surface of the substrate and drying the sol.

Abstract: A process for converting in depth a carbon or graphite preform object to a silicon carbide object, silicon carbide/silicon object, silicon carbide/carbon-core object, or a silicon carbide/silicon/carbon-core object, by contacting it with silicon liquid and vapor over various lengths of contact time in a reaction chamber. In the process, a stream comprised of a silicon-containing precursor material in gaseous phase below the decomposition temperature of said gas and a coreactant, carrier or diluent gas such as hydrogen is passed through a hole within a high emissivity, thin, insulating septum into the reaction chamber above the melting point of silicon. The thin septum has one face below the decomposition temperature of the gas and an opposite face exposed to the reaction chamber. Thus, the precursor gas is decomposed directly to silicon in the reaction chamber. Any stream of decomposition gas and any unreacted precursor gas from the reaction chamber is removed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a novel process and apparatus for continuously producing very fine, ultrapure ceramic powders from ceramic precursor reactants in a self-sustaining reaction system in the form of a stabilized flame thereof to form ceramic particles and wherein the thus formed ceramic particles are collected in the absence of oxygen.

Abstract: Silicon carbide particles are produced by reacting a gaseous silicon compound or granular silicon with a carbon compound at a high temperature. In the reaction, the amount of free carbon content in the resultant silicon carbide particles can be controlled by monitoring the amount of unsaturated hydrocarbon such as acetylene, as a by-product. Moreover, silicon carbide particles can contain boron dispersed uniformly in the particles by a two step process comprising first reacting a silicon source and a boron source without a carbon source in a first reaction zone, to form boron-containing silicon particles, and second, reacting the resultant particles with a carbon source in a second reaction zone.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide whisker comprising heating a reaction zone to a temperature in the range of 1,000.degree. C. to 1,200.degree.; supplying a reducing or inactive gas and a sulfur-containing organic siloxane compound; thermally decomposing in vapor phase to react silicon and carbon contained in the sulfur-containing organic siloxane compound by a gaseous phase reaction and recovering a silicon carbide whisker, characterized in that the sulfur promotes the reaction between the silicon and the carbon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing silicon carbide whiskers by reacting a starting mixture comprising starting silicon source material mainly composed of silicon and oxygen and carbonaceous material at a high temperature, wherein one or more of Fe, Co and Ni ingredients are contained in the starting mixture such that the total amount of the Fe, Co, Ni ingredients is from 25 to 2000 ppm based on the silicon ingredient in the starting silicon source material. Silicon carbide whiskers at high purity can be produced at high yield with less content of powdery silicon carbide.

Abstract: Silicon carbide particles are produced by reacting a gaseous silicon compound or granular silicon with a carbon compound at a high temperature. In the reaction, the amount of free carbon content in the resultant silicon carbide particles can be controlled by monitoring the amount of unsaturated hydrocarbon such as acetylene, as a by-product. Moreover, silicon carbide particles can contain boron dispersed uniformly in the particles by a two step process comprising first reacting a silicon source and a boron source without a carbon source in a first reaction zone, to form boron-containing silicon particles, and second, reacting the resultant particles with a carbon source in a second reaction zone.

Abstract: Silicon carbide particles are produced by reacting a gaseous silicon compound or granular silicon with a carbon compound at a high temperature. In the reaction, the amount of free carbon content in the resultant silicon carbide particles can be controlled by monitoring the amount of unsaturated hydrocarbon such as acetylene, as a by-product. Moreover, silicon carbide particles can contain boron dispersed uniformly in the particles by a two step process comprising first reacting a silicon source and a boron source without a carbon source in a first reaction zone, to form boron-containing silicon particles, and second, reacting the resultant particles with a carbon source in a second reaction zone.

Abstract: A process for reducing halogen-containing compounds of silicon, germanium or tin with lithium hydride in the presence of tetrahydrofuran wherein the lithium hydride is first heated in the tetrahydrofuran and then the halogen-containing compound is added.

Abstract: A prealloyed metal catalyst is used to grow silicon carbide whiskers, especially in the .beta. form. Pretreating the metal particles to increase the weight percentages of carbon or silicon or both carbon and silicon allows whisker growth to begin immediately upon reaching growth temperature.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing silicon carbide whiskers in which silicon and carbon containing feedstock is placed on a series of gas permeable supports and passed through a reaction zone. The feedstock is maintained at 1500.degree. C. to 1700.degree. C. between forty to eighty minutes while the off gases from other reacting feedstock is permitted to pass from one support to another. In this manner uniformity of environment is maintained to produce high quality silicon carbide whiskers having average diameters by mass between 1 and 1.5 microns.

Abstract: A carbon-containing mixture is obtained by collecting a dispersed phase mixture from an aerosol which has been formed by introducing a decomposable carbon compound and a decomposable metallic compound into a hot gas containing steam.Since this carbon-containing mixture is extremely high in uniformity and consists of extremely fine particles, it can afford after heat treatment a metal carbide of high quality.

Abstract: A process for producing silicon ceramic powder, which comprises, oxidizing metallic silicon powder in an oxidizing gas atmosphere into silicon monoxide in the form of ultrafine particles or gas, and reducing said silicon monoxide in a reducing gas atmosphere containing at least nitrogen or carbon, thereby producing silicon nitride, silicon carbide or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method of growing silicon carbide whiskers, especially in the .beta. form, using a heating schedule wherein the temperature of the atmosphere in the growth zone of a furnace is first heated to or beyond the growth temperature and then is cooled to or below the growth temperature to induce nucleation of whiskers at catalyst sites at a desired point in time which results in the selection.

Abstract: Hetero-augmentation of semiconductor materials by reacting a mixture of (1) a gaseous precursor of a host semiconductor with (2) a gaseous compound of the host and a hetero atom. The host precursor is a semiconductor hydride or a mixture of hydrides, including those of silicon and germanium. The compound of the host and hetero-atom includes a silyl or germyl dopant or alloyant. Suitable dopants are phosphorous, arsenic, and nitrogen. Suitable alloyants are other semiconductors and nitrogen. The reaction can take place pyrolytically, by electrical discharge, or photochemically.