Densified particulate/binder composites

• US 20050281701A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jonathan L. Rolfe, Mark Jasmin, Robert F. Lynch
• Original Assignee: Jonathan L. Rolfe, Mark Jasmin, Robert F. Lynch
• Inventors: Rolfe, Jonathan L., Lynch, Robert F., Jasmin, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/148,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20050281701A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 419/10
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/052 characterised by a mixture of particles of different sizes or by the particle size distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/10 Metallic powder containing lubricating or binding agents; Metallic powder containing organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2201/20 Use of vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2202/01 Use of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/02 Compacting only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/093 using vibrations or friction
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/22 for producing castings from a slip
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 32/0094 with organic materials as the main non-metallic constituent, e.g. resin
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/025 using multiple collimators, e.g. Bucky screens; other devices for eliminating undesired or dispersed radiation

Abstract

A system and method to produce high density precision composite devices. A system and method to consolidate a high density composite within details of a mold. One method includes creating a densified composite within the mold. Another method includes densifying a pre-mixed composite within a mold. A very high density precision molded composite device.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a collimator comprising:

placing a particulate material in a mold;

placing a binder in the mold;

forming a composite comprising about 90-99% by weight of the particulate material, and about 1-10% by weight of the binder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming step comprises curing the composite in the mold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming step comprises removing a portion of the binder from the composite.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the removing includes displacing binder from the composite.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a vacuum to the particulate material.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying vibration to the particulate material.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of applying vibration comprises applying sound waves to the particulate material.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying gravitational force to the mold.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the gravitational force includes centrifugal force.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the removing step occurs prior to a curing step.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the removing step comprises mechanically removing the binder from at least a portion of the composite.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate material comprises a heavy metal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the heavy metal comprises tungsten

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the heavy metal is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, osmium, platinum, gold, rhenium, tantalum and mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate material comprises spheroidal particles.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate material comprises more than one size of particles.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder comprises an epoxy resin.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyester and acrylic fluorosilicone resin.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate material has a specific gravity SG_P and the binder has specific gravity SG_B wherein the ratio of SG_P:

SG_B is approximately 8.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a surfactant in the mold.

21. A method of manufacturing a collimator comprising:

combining 90-99% by weight of a particulate material and 1-10% by weight of a binder;

mixing the particulate material and binder into a composite;

placing the composite in a mold; and

curing the composite.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising removing a portion of the binder from the composite.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the combining and mixing steps take place in the mold.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising applying a vacuum to the composite.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising applying vibration to the composite.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of applying vibration comprises applying sound waves to the particulate material.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising applying gravitational force to the mold.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the removing step occurs prior to the curing step.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the removing step comprises mechanically removing the binder from at least a portion of the composite.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein the particulate material comprises a heavy metal.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the heavy metal comprises tungsten

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the heavy metal is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, osmium, platinum, gold, rhenium, tantalum and mixtures thereof.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein the particulate material comprises spheroidal particles.

34. The method of claim 21 wherein the particulate material comprises more than one size of particles.

35. The method of claim 21 wherein the binder comprises an epoxy resin.

36. The method of claim 21 wherein the particulate material has a specific gravity SG_P and the binder has specific gravity SG_B wherein the ratio of SG_P:

SG_B is approximately 8.

37. The method of claim 21 further comprising adding a surfactant to the composite.

38. A collimator comprising:

a composite of about 90-99% by weight of a particulate material and about 1-10% by weight of a binder.

39. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the particulate material comprises a heavy metal.

40. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the heavy metal comprises tungsten

41. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the heavy metal is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, osmium, platinum, gold, rhenium, tantalum and mixtures thereof.

42. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the particulate material comprises spheroidal particles.

43. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the particulate material comprises more than one size of particles.

44. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the binder comprises an epoxy resin.

45. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the particulate material has a specific gravity SG_P and the binder has specific gravity SG_B wherein the ratio of SG_P:

SG_B is approximately 8.

46. The collimator of claim 38 further comprising a surfactant.

47. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the composite has a density greater than about 11.4 grams per cubic centimeters.

48. The collimator of claim 38 wherein the composite has a density that is at least the tap density of the particulate material.