METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE, AND PREPARATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120241670A1
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Alloy Research Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Inventors: Bae, Dong Hyun, Choi, Hyun Joo
• Granted Patent: US 9,410,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/182.35
• 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 3/17 by forging
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/24 After-treatment of workpieces or articles B22F3/1146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 9/04 starting from solid material, e.g. by crushing, grinding or milling C22C1/1084 takes precedence; crushing, grinding or milling, in general, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B02C
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/1005 Pretreatment of the non-metallic additives pretreatment of non-metallic fibres C22C47/02
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/1084 by mechanical alloying (blending, milling)
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 32/0052 only carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 32/0057 based on B4C
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 32/0084 carbon or graphite as the main non-metallic constituent

Abstract

The present invention provides a preparation method of a metal matrix composite. The method comprises the following steps of: 1) pulverizing a solid carbon material to a micrometer size; 2) plastic deforming a metal matrix powder and dispersing the pulverized nanometer-sized carbon material into the metal matrix powder during the plastic deformation; 3) integrating the metal/carbon nano-material composite powder obtained in step 2) by using a hot forming process; and 4) heat treating the integrated bulk material at a predetermined temperature to form a composite having a metal-carbon nanophase, a metal-carbon nanoband formed by growth of the metal-carbon nanophase, or a metal-carbon nano-network structure formed by self-coupling of the metal-carbon nanoband.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an aluminum matrix composite, the method comprising the steps of:

pulverizing a solid carbon material into a micrometer size, the solid carbon material being at least one selected from a group consisting of fullerene, carbon nano tube, graphite, carbon black and amorphous carbon;

plastically deforming aluminum matrix powders while dispersing the pulverized carbon material into the aluminum matrix powders so as to be dispersed in a nanometer size, thereby obtaining composite powders composed of aluminum/carbon nano material;

integrating the composite powders composed of aluminum/carbon nano material, thereby producing a bulk material; and

heat-treating the bulk material, thereby forming a composite having therein at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles that are formed by carbons released as a carbon-carbon bonding of the carbon material is broken and aluminum elements of the aluminum matrix, aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, and an aluminum-carbon nano network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips,

wherein in the aluminum matrix composite, dislocations are fixed around the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, or grains of the aluminum matrix are micronized or growing-up thereof is inhibited due to the aluminum-carbon nano strips or the aluminum-carbon nano network structure, and

wherein the aluminum matrix composite does not contain a carbon compound (Al4C3) caused by the carbons.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heat treatment is performed in a temperature range that is sufficient for individual carbon atoms released as a carbon-carbon bonding of the carbon material is broken to diffuse to a short distance and penetrate into the lattice of the aluminum matrix, but not to form a carbon compound.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the heat treatment is performed at a temperature ranging from 0.5Tm to 1Tm (Tm:

melting temperature of the metal matrix).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composite contains at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, which are expressed by Al4Cx (0<

x<

3), aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano particles, and an aluminum-carbon network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carbon material is pulverized and dispersed using a mechanical milling process.

39. The method according to claim 9, wherein as time of the heat treatment increases, a mechanical strength of the aluminum matrix composite increases.

2. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

11. An aluminum matrix composite that is manufactured using aluminum matrix powders and at least one solid carbon material selected from a group consisting of fullerene, carbon nano tube, graphite, carbon black and amorphous carbon,

wherein the aluminum matrix composite contains therein at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, which are formed as individual carbon atoms released when a carbon-carbon bonding of the carbon material is broken penetrate into lattices of the aluminum matrix through short-distance diffusion so that the lattices of the aluminum matrix are deformed or expanded, aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, and an aluminum-carbon nano network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips,

wherein dislocations are fixed around the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, or grains of the aluminum matrix are micronized or growing-up thereof is inhibited due to the aluminum-carbon nano strips or the aluminum-carbon nano network structure, and

wherein the aluminum matrix composite does not contain a carbon compound (Al4C3) caused by the carbons.

16. The aluminum matrix composite according to claim 11, wherein the composite contains therein at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, which are expressed by Al4Cx (0<

x<

3), aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano particles, and an aluminum-carbon network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips.

17. The aluminum matrix composite according to claim 16, wherein the aluminum matrix composite has a mechanical strength exceeding 500 MPa.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

18. A method of manufacturing an aluminum matrix composite, the method comprising the steps of:

pulverizing fullerene, which is arranged in a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure in an early stage and is present in a form of powders having a micrometer size, via mechanical milling;

plastically deforming aluminum matrix powders via mechanical milling while dispersing the pulverized fullerene into the aluminum matrix powders so as to be dispersed in a nanometer size;

integrating composite powders composed of the aluminum matrix powders and the fullerene, thereby producing a bulk material; and

heat-treating the bulk material, thereby forming a composite having therein at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles that are formed by carbons released as a carbon-carbon bonding of the fullerene is broken and aluminum elements of the aluminum matrix, aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, and an aluminum-carbon nano network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips,

wherein in the aluminum matrix composite, dislocations are fixed around the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, or grains of the aluminum matrix are micronized or growing-up thereof is inhibited due to the aluminum-carbon nano strips or the aluminum-carbon nano network structure, and

wherein the aluminum matrix composite does not contain a carbon compound (Al4C3) caused by the carbons.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the heat treatment is performed in a temperature range that is sufficient for individual carbon atoms, which are released as a carbon-carbon bonding of the fullerene is broken, to diffuse to a short distance and penetrate into the lattices of the aluminum matrix, but not to form a carbon compound.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the heat treatment is performed at a temperature ranging from 0.5Tm to 1Tm (Tm:

melting temperature of the aluminum matrix).

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the composite contains therein at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, which are expressed by Al4Cx (0<

x<

3), aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano particles, and an aluminum-carbon network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips.

19. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

25. An aluminum matrix composite that is manufactured using aluminum powders and fullerene,

wherein the aluminum matrix composite contains therein at least one of aluminum-carbon nano phase particles (Al4Cx (0<

x<

3)), which are formed as individual carbon atoms released when a carbon-carbon bonding of the fullerene is broken penetrate into a lattice of the aluminum matrix through short-distance diffusion so that the lattice of the aluminum matrix is deformed or expanded, aluminum-carbon nano strips produced by growing-up of the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, and an aluminum-carbon nano network structure produced by self-assembly of the aluminum-carbon nano strips, and

wherein dislocations are fixed around the aluminum-carbon nano phase particles, or grains of the aluminum matrix are micronized or growing-up thereof is inhibited due to the aluminum-carbon nano strips or the aluminum-carbon nano network structure, and

wherein the aluminum matrix composite does not contain a carbon compound (Al4C3) caused by the carbons.

27. The aluminum matrix composite according to claim 25, wherein the aluminum matrix composite has a mechanical strength exceeding 500 MPa.

26. (canceled)

28. A method of manufacturing a metal matrix composite, the method comprising the steps of:

pulverizing a solid compound of boron carbide (B4C) or boron nitride (BN) to a micrometer size;

producing composite powders by plastically deforming metal matrix powders while dispersing the pulverized solid compound into the metal matrix powders so as to be dispersed in a nanometer size, the metal matrix powder being a pure metal of aluminum, copper, iron, titanium or magnesium, or a plastically-deformable alloy that has at least one selected from among the pure metals as a matrix;

producing a bulk material by integrating the composite powder; and

heat-treating the bulk material, thereby forming a composite having therein at least one of metal-nitrogen or -boron nano phase particles (M-C or M-B, M;

metal) formed by boron or nitrogen released when a carbon-boron bonding or nitrogen-boron bonding of the solid compound is broken and metal elements of the metal matrix, metal-nitrogen or -boron nano strips produced by growing-up of the metal-nitrogen or -boron nano phase particles, or a metal-nitrogen or -boron nano network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the heat treatment is performed in a temperature range that is sufficient for individual nitrogen or boron atoms, which are released as a carbon-boron bonding or nitrogen-boron bonding of the solid compound is broken, to diffuse to a short distance and penetrate into lattices of the metal matrix, but not to form a carbon or boron compound.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the heat treatment is performed at a temperature ranging from 0.5Tm to 1Tm (Tm:

melting temperature of the metal matrix).

33. The method according to claim 28, wherein the solid compound is boron carbide (B4C), and the metal matrix powder is magnesium (Mg).

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

34. A metal matrix composite that is manufactured using a solid compound of boron carbide (B4C) or boron nitride (BN) and metal matrix powders, the metal matrix powder being a pure metal of aluminum, copper, iron, titanium or magnesium, or a plastically-deformable alloy that has at least one selected from among the pure metals as a matrix;

wherein the metal matrix composite contains therein at least one of metal-nitrogen or -boron nano phase particles (M-C or M-B, M;

metal), which are formed as nitrogen or boron atoms released when a bonding of the solid compound is broken penetrate into lattices of the metal matrix through short-distance diffusion so that the lattice of the metal matrix is deformed or expanded, metal-nitrogen or -boron nano strips produced by growing-up of the metal-nitrogen or -boron nano phase particles, and a metal-nitrogen or -boron nano network structure produced by self-assembly of the nano strips, and

wherein dislocations are fixed around the metal-nitrogen or -boron nano phase particles, or grains of the metal matrix are micronized or growing-up thereof is inhibited due to the metal-nitrogen or -boron nano strips or the metal-nitrogen or -boron nano network structure.

38. The metal matrix composite according to claim 34, wherein the solid compound is boron carbide (B4C) and the metal matrix powder is magnesium.

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)