Metal composites and methods for forming same

• US 20060213586A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hin-Wing Kui
• Original Assignee: Hin-Wing Kui
• Inventors: Kui, Hin-Wing
• Application Number:
  US11/088,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213586A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 148/400
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 1/00 General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/00 Making non-ferrous alloys by electrothermic methods C22B4/00; by electrolysis C25C1/24, C25C3/36
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/02 by melting C22C1/1036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/06 with the use of special agents for refining or deoxidising
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/00 Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working apparatus for mechanical working of metal B21, B23, B24

Abstract

A metal composite comprising a spinodal structure having at least one ductile phase and method of making same is disclosed. The metal composite is formed by forming an alloy comprising a positive heat of mixing in the liquid state; purifying the alloy; and forming a network structure of the alloy comprising at least one ductile sub-network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming an alloy;

purifying the alloy; and

forming a network structure of the alloy comprising at least one ductile sub-network structure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the alloy formed comprises a ratio of T_g to T₁ greater than or equal to about 0.35.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alloy formed comprises a ratio of T_g to T₁ greater than or equal to about 0.49.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the alloy formed comprises a metal and a metalloid.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein purifying the alloy comprises:

heating the alloy to form a molten alloy; and

contacting the molten alloy with a flux material.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein forming a network structure comprises cooling the molten alloy.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein cooling the molten alloy comprises undercooling the molten alloy.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the molten alloy is cooled to a Δ

T of about 100°

K to about 500°

K

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the alloy formed comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Pd, Pt, Mn, Al, Ti, Zr, Cr, W, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the alloy formed comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the alloy formed comprises Ni.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the alloy formed comprises Co

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the alloy formed comprises Fe.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the alloy formed comprises a metalloid selected from the group consisting of B, Si, C and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the alloy formed further comprises a non-metal selected from the group consisting of Ge, P, S and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the metalloid is C.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the alloy formed comprises an element selected from the group consisting of C, Si, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the alloy formed further comprises Ge.

19. The method of claim 5, wherein the alloy is contacted with a flux material selected from the group consisting of B₂0₃, glass, calcium oxide, barium oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, lithium oxide, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the alloy is contacted with a flux material selected from the group consisting B₂O₃, glass, and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the alloy is contacted with B₂O₃.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the alloy is contacted with glass.

23. The method of claim 4, further comprising heating the alloy and the flux material to a temperature greater than about 1,000°

C.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the alloy in a first portion of a vessel;

heating the first portion of the vessel under a vacuum causing the alloy to melt and flow into a second portion of the vessel; and

cooling the second portion of the vessel.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the network structure is formed having a solid phase λ

of about 50 microns or less.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the network structure is formed having a solid phase k of about 10 microns or less.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the network structure is formed having a solid phase λ

of about 300 nm or less.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the network structure is formed having a solid phase X of about 100 nm or less.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the alloy comprising a positive heat of mixing in a liquid state is one of a monotectic alloy, a eutectic alloy, and a peritectic alloy.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the spinodal structure is formed having a liquid phase k and a solid phase λ

that are substantially equal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the liquid phase k and a solid phase k that are substantially equal are at a location where crystallization is initiated.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the alloy is formed from at least 2 constituents comprising a positive heat of mixing in the liquid state.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the liquid state is metastable.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the liquid state is stable.

54. A metal article comprising the metal composite of claim 34.

55. The metal article of claim 54, wherein the article has a spherical shape.

56. The metal article of claim 55, wherein the spherical shape has a diameter of about 1 inch or less.

57. The metal article of claim 56, wherein the spherical shape has a diameter of about 2 cm or less.

58. The metal article of claim 57, wherein the spherical shape has a diameter of about 1 cm or less.

59. The metal article of claim 58, wherein the spherical shape has a diameter of about 5 mm or less.

60. The metal article of claim 59, wherein the spherical shape has a diameter of about 0.1 mm.

61. The metal article of claim 54, wherein the article further comprises a eutectic structure.

62. The metal article of claim 54, wherein the metal article is a nanostructure composite.

35. A metal composite comprising a ductile spinodal structure.

36. The metal composite of claim 35, wherein the spinodal structure comprises a coherent grain boundary.

37. The metal composite of claim 35, wherein the composite is a bulk material.

38. The metal composite of claim 37, wherein the spinodal structure has a liquid phase λ

of about 50 microns or less.

39. The metal composite of claim 37, wherein the spinodal structure has solid phase λ

of about 50 microns or less.

40. The metal composite of claim 38, wherein the spinodal structure has a liquid phase λ

and a solid phase λ

that are substantially equal.

41. The metal composite of claim 35, further comprising a metal and a metalloid.

42. The metal composite of claim 41, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Pd, Pt, Mn, Al, Ti, Zr, Cr, W, combinations thereof.

43. The metal composite of claim 42, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, and combinations thereof.

44. The metal composite of claim 43, wherein the metal is Ni.

45. The metal composite of claim 43, wherein the metal is Co.

46. The metal composite of claim 43, wherein the metal is Fe.

47. The metal composite of claim 41, wherein the metalloid is selected from the group consisting of B, Si, C and combinations thereof.

48. The metal composite of claim 41, further comprising Ge, P, S, and combinations thereof.

49. The metal composite of claim 47, wherein the metalloid is selected from the group consisting of C, Si, and combinations thereof.

50. The metal composite of claim 42, further comprising Si.

51. The metal composite of claim 42, further comprising C.

52. The metal composite of claim 42, further comprising a ratio of T_g to T₁ greater than or equal to about 0.35.

53. The metal composite of claim 52, further comprising a ratio of T_g to T_i greater than or equal to about 0.49.

63. A method of forming a metal composite comprising:

forming an alloy;

purifying the alloy;

forming one or more spinodals; and

heating the one or more spinodals causing at least one of the one or more brittle spinodals to transform into one or more ductile phases.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein forming one or more spinodals comprises forming one or more brittle spinodals.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein the one or more ductile phases are interconnected.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the one or more ductile phases are partially interconnected.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the one or more ductile phases are substantially completely interconnected.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein the one or more ductile phases are interconnected with brittle phases.

69. The method of claim 63, wherein the one or more ductile phases are isolated clusters.