Known in the art is a method of making antifriction products, whereby a carbon (graphite) blank is treated with silicon oxide vapors at a temperature of 1,600.degree. to 2,200.degree. C. The vapors are evolved from silicon oxide atomized in a hydrogen current. The reducing atmosphere and high temperature promote vaporization and interaction of the vapors with graphite. As a result, silicon carbide is formed, which precipitates on the graphite surface and produces a surface layer.
Thus, a material containing silicon carbide and graphite is obtained. However, such a material suffers from a number of serious disadvantages stemming, primarily, from the fact that silicon carbide and graphite exhibit different coefficients of thermal expansion, resulting in cracks either in graphite or in silicon carbide when temperatures vary. Therefore, when products made by this method operate in contact with corrosive and hydroabrasive media, they eventually disintegrate because of the penetration of these media into cracks.
Also known is a method of making antifriction products (cf. British Pat. No. 1,394,106; Cl. ClA), according to which a carbon filler and a binder are mixed, and the resulting mixture is compressed at 150.degree. to 180.degree. C. to produce a blank having a density of 1.4 g/cu.cm. The blank is heated to a temperature of 800.degree. to 1,000.degree. C., then to 1,700.degree. to 2,050.degree. C. and impregnated with molten silicon at the same temperature with subsequent cooling.
However, antifriction products made by this method have low wear resistance, particularly in hydroabrasive media, and the blank is impregnated non-uniformly across its thickness, which ultimately reduces the percentage yield of end products.