초록 ▼

A reactor for producing single crystal metal carbide, nitride, or carbonitride whiskers, where the metal is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta or W. The reactor walls and inner fixtures provide the substrate surfaces, greatly increasing the surface area available for whisker growth. Preferred substra

A reactor for producing single crystal metal carbide, nitride, or carbonitride whiskers, where the metal is one or more of Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta or W. The reactor walls and inner fixtures provide the substrate surfaces, greatly increasing the surface area available for whisker growth. Preferred substrate materials are nickel or high nickel alloy coated with TiC or TiN, or, for carbide or carbonitride whiskers, nickel impregnated graphite. An alternate embodiment provides a collecting chamber and vibrating means to mechanically detach whiskers, allowing for more efficient batch, or continuous operation.

대표청구항 ▼

A reactor for producing metal carbide, nitrde, or carbonitride single crystal whiskers comprising: A. a reaction vessel having outer walls generally enclosing a reaction chamber, sealed from the ambient atmosphere and adapted to cooperate with heating means for heating of the reaction chamber to an

A reactor for producing metal carbide, nitrde, or carbonitride single crystal whiskers comprising: A. a reaction vessel having outer walls generally enclosing a reaction chamber, sealed from the ambient atmosphere and adapted to cooperate with heating means for heating of the reaction chamber to an operating temperature suitable for whisker growth; B. gas inlet means; and C. gas outlet means; and D. wherein at least one of the outer walls, inlet means, and outlet means provides surfaces facing the reaction chamber formed from one or more substrate materials suitable for providing catalyzing and supporting substrates for nucleation and growth of the whiskers, the substrate materials are selected from the group consisting of nickel, an alloy containing at least 50% by weight nickel, and graphite impregnated with about 0.1-1.0 mole % nickel, and the surface area of the substrate material surfaces comprises at least a major portion of the total surface area of surfaces defining the reaction chamber.