Siliconoxynitride bonded silicon carbide article and method

Claim 2

A SOLID RIGID GRANULAR SILICON CARBIDE ARTICLE WHEREIN THE GRANULAR ARE BONDED WITH SILICON OXYNITRIDE, SAID BOND OF THE ARTICLE HAVING X-RAY DIFFRACTION PATTERN HAVING PEAKS AT D. 4.44 A. AND 4.67 A.

Claim 3

A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A RIGID REFRACTORY BODY FROM GRANULAR SILICON CARBIDE WHEREIN THE GRANULES ARE BONDED WITH A SILICON NITRIDE COMPOUND COMPRISING MIXING GRANULAR SILICON CARBIDE, FINELY DIVIDED SILICON AND A FINELY DIVIDED CYANAMIDE COMPOUND, FORMING THE MIXTURE INTO A SHAPE, AND FIRING THE SHAPED MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE AS LOW AS ABOUT 1200*C. IN AN OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE CONTAINING NITROGEN AND OXYGEN, THE SOURCE OF SAID NITROGEN AND OXYGEN IN SAID ATMOSPHERE BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AIR AND COMBUSTION GASES AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID FIRING PRODUCING REACTIONS TO FORM SAID SILICON NITRIDE COMPOUND WHICH BONDS THE SILICON CARBIDE GRANULES OF THE BODY, THE SAID SILICON NITRIDE BONDING COMPOUND CONSTITUTING THE PRINCIPAL BOND FOR THE SILICON CARBIDE GRANULES OF SAID BODY.

Claim 4

A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A RIGID REFRACTORY BODY FROM GRANULAR SILICON CARBIDE WHEREIN THE GRANULES ARE BONDED WITH A SILICON NITRIDE COMPOUND COMPRISING MIXING GRANULAR SILICON CARBIDE, FINELY DIVIDED SILICON AND A FINELY DIVIDED CYANAMIDE COMPOUND, FORMING THE MIXTURE INTO A SHAPE, AND FIRING THE SHAPED MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE AS LOW AS ABOUT 1200*C. IN AN OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERE CONTAINING NITROGEN AND OXYGEN, THE SOURCE OF SAID NITROGEN AND OXYGEN IN SAID ATMOSPHERE BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AIR AND COMBUSTION GASES AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID FIRING PRODUCING REACTIONS TO FORM SAID SILICON NITRIDE COMPOUND WHICH BONDS THE SILICON CARBIDE GRANULES OF THE BODY, THE SAID SILICON NITRIDE BONDING COMPOUND CONSTITUTING THE PRINCIPAL BOND FOR THE SILICON CARBIDE GRANULES OF SAID BODY.