Preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles and methods of making and using same

1. A preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticle comprising a core having an outer surface and maximum dimension in any single direction of 1 micron, and a plurality of polymers covalently bound to the outer surface of said core:

a) said core comprising a ceramic comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Hydrogen, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Chlorine, Potassium, Calcium, Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Gallium, Germanium, Arsenic, Selenium, Bromine, Strontium, Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium, Molybdenum, Technetium, Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Cadmium, Indium, Tin, Antimony, Tellurium, Iodine, Cesium, Barium, Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium, Platinum, Gold, Mercury, Thallium, Lead, Bismuth, Polonium, Radium, Actinium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium, Americium, and mixtures thereof, and

b) said plurality of polymers comprising a polycarbosilane and said plurality of polymers having an average brush length of from about 1 nanometer to about 50 nanometers and said polycarbosilane is selected from the group consisting of poly(1,1-dimethylpropylsilane), poly(1,1-dichloropropylsilane), poly(1,1-diallylpropylsilane), poly(1,1dihydropropylsilane), poly(1,1-dimethylethylsilane), poly(1,1-dichloroethylsilane), poly(1,1diallylethylsilane), poly(1,1dihydroethylsilane), poly(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilylbutane), poly(1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilylbutane), poly(1,1,3,3-tetraallyl-1,3-disiylbutane), poly(1,1,3,3-tetrahydro-1,3-disilylbutane), and copolymers of poly(1,1-dimethylpropylsilane), poly(1,1-dimethylethylsilane), poly(1,1-dichloropropylsilane), poly(1,1-dichloroethylsilane), poly(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilylbutane), poly(1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1,3-disilylbutane) and mixtures thereof.

2. A preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticle according to claim 1 wherein:

a) said core comprises a nonoxide ceramic and said core has a maximum dimension in any single direction of 100 nanometers; and

b) said plurality of polymers have an average brush length of from about 5 nanometers to about 12 nanometers.

3. A preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticle according to claim 1 wherein said core comprises SiC, ZrC, HfC, Si 3 N 4 , ZrN, HfN, ZrB 2 , HfB 2 , and mixtures thereof and said core has a maximum dimension in any single direction of 2 nanometers to 30 nanometers.

4. A material comprising a preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticle according to claim 1 , said material being selected from the group consisting of a fiber, a bulk monolithic ceramic, a composite and a resin.

5. An article comprising a material according claim 4 , said article being selected from the group consisting of a brake pad, brake rotor, turbine combustor liner, turbine vane, turbine shroud, turbine blade, turbine bladed disc, flap, seal, aeroshell, leading edge, flame holder, exhaust structure, flowpath component, air inlet, compressor blade, isolator, fastener, signal aperture, window, combustion chamber, mixing vessel, nuclear fuel cladding, nuclear fuel coating, cutting tool, ballistic protection armor, heat shield, heat exchanger, particulate filter, metal casting filter, crucible, mirror, heating element, catalyst support, rocket nozzle, high-temperature valve, chemical handling equipment, or furnace support.

6. A finished article comprising a material according to claim 4 , finished article being selected from the group consisting of a turbine engine, scramjet, ramjet, combined cycle engine, rotating detonation engine, internal combustion engine, augmenter, rocket engine, automotive brake system, aerospace brake system, high-speed aircraft aeorshell, leading edge, missile, airplane, nuclear reactor, armor protection system, chemical reactor, chemical handling equipment, furnace, filter assembly, cutting tool, window, aperture, telescope, or satellite.

7. A finished article comprising an article according to claim 5 , said finished article being selected from the group consisting of a turbine engine, scramjet, ramjet, combined cycle engine, rotating detonation engine, internal combustion engine, augmenter, rocket engine, automotive brake system, aerospace brake system, high-speed aircraft aeorshell, leading edges, missile, airplane, nuclear reactor, armor protection system, chemical reactor, chemical handling equipment, furnace, filter assembly, cutting tool, window, aperture, telescope, or satellite.

8. A method of making a ceramic comprising:

a) crosslinking a mass of preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticle, said mass of preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticle comprising preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles according to claim 1 ; and

b) heat treating said crosslinked mass of preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles in an inert gas or under vacuum, said heating temperature being maintained for a time from about six minutes to about 24 hours.

9. A method of making a ceramic according to claim 8 wherein:

a) said crosslinking comprises heat treating and or chemically treating said mass of preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles by adding a crosslinker, said inert gases are selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium and mixtures thereof, and said vacuum is less than 0.1 Pascal's; and

b) said heat treating comprises heating said crosslinked preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles to a temperature of from about 600° C. to about 2700° C., said heating temperature is maintained for a time from about 30 minutes to about 12 hours.

10. A method of making a ceramic according to claim 9 wherein said heat treating comprises heating said crosslinked preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles to a temperature of from about 600° C. to about 2000° C. and said heating temperature is maintained for a time from about one hour to about 4 hours.

11. A method of making a ceramic according to claim 9 wherein said heat treating comprises heating said crosslinked preceramic polymer grafted nanoparticles to a temperature of from about 600° C. to about 1600° C.