ABSTRACT
Hillig [1] has listed materials with high melting or decomposition temperatures by classes, which include carbides, borides, nitrides, oxides, silicides, sulfides, selenides, and tellurides. Thirty six carbides melt or decompose at over 1750°C, several of these at over 3500°C. There are 16 nitrides, 49 borides, 30 silicides, and 42 sulfides, selenides, and tellurides that melt or decompose at over 1750°C. The largest category of materials with melting or decomposition temperatures of over 1750°C is the oxide category, with 101 oxides meeting this criterion. For purposes of comparison, 41 metals and intermetallic compounds also meet this criterion, although over half of these are at the low end of the range, 1750°-2000°C.
