US 11,884,597 B2
Methods for joining ceramic components to form unitary ceramic components
Jerome Geoffrey Magnant, Rexford, NY (US); Jared Hogg Weaver, Clifton Park, NY (US); and Daniel Gene Dunn, Guilderland, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/851,751.
Prior Publication US 2023/0416163 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B23K 1/00 (2006.01); C04B 37/00 (2006.01); B23K 1/19 (2006.01); B23K 103/00 (2006.01)
CPC C04B 37/003 (2013.01) [B23K 1/19 (2013.01); B23K 2103/52 (2018.08); C04B 2237/086 (2013.01); C04B 2237/16 (2013.01); C04B 2237/60 (2013.01); C04B 2237/61 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a unitary ceramic component, the method comprising:
positioning a braze reactant layer in a contact area between a first densified ceramic component and a second densified ceramic component, wherein the braze reactant layer comprises a ceramic precursor compound;
thereafter, positioning a pack material around at least a portion of the first densified ceramic component or the second densified ceramic component, wherein the pack material comprises a silicon-containing material;
positioning at least one infiltrate source in fluid communication with the braze reactant layer, wherein the at least one infiltrate source comprises an infiltrate composition; and
thereafter, heating the at least one infiltrate source, the pack material, the first densified ceramic component, and the second densified ceramic component to a braze temperature that is at or above a melting point of at least one phase of the infiltrate composition such that the at least one phase of infiltrate composition melts and flows into the braze reactant layer and reacts with the ceramic precursor compound to form a ceramic material, the ceramic material joining the first densified ceramic component and the second densified ceramic component into a unitary ceramic component.