GOLF CLUB FABRICATED FROM BULK METALLIC GLASSES WITH HIGH TOUGHNESS AND HIGH STIFFNESS

• US 20140213384A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glassimetal Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Glassimetal Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, William L., Lee, David S., Demetriou, Marios D., Na, Jong Hyun, Garrett, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 10,086,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/282
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

Golf clubs formed from bulk-solidifying amorphous metals (i.e., metallic glasses) having high elastic modulus and fracture toughness, and to methods of forming the same are provided. Among other components, the golf club materials disclosed enable fabrication of flexural membranes or shells used in golf club heads (drivers, fairways, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters) exhibiting enhanced flexural or bending compliance together with the ability to deform plastically and avoid brittle fracture or catastrophic failure when overloaded under bending loads. Further, the high strength of the material and its density, comparable to that of steel, enables the redistribution of mass in the golf club while maintaining a desired overall target mass.

Claims

1. A golf club, wherein at least a portion of the golf club is formed from a metallic glass having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 50 MPa-m^1/2, and wherein the metallic glass is capable of being formed into an object having a lateral dimension of at least 1 mm.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass has a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 70 MPa-m^1/2.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass has a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 90 MPa-m^1/2.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass has a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, greater than σ

_Y(0.3π

t)^1/2, where σ

_Y is the compressive yield strength of the metallic glass and t is the thickness of the metallic glass portion subject to bending load

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass has at least one additional property, selected from the group consisting of:

a mass density between 4.0 g/cc and 9 g/cc, a shear modulus of less than 55 GPa, a bulk modulus of at least 170 GPa, a Poisson'"'"'s ratio of at least 0.35, a compressive yield strength of at least 2.0 GPa, an elastic strain limit of at least 1.4%, a plastic zone radius estimated as (K_Q²/π

σ

_Y²), where σ

_Y is the compressive yield strength of the metallic glass and K_Q is the notch toughness, of at least 0.25 mm, an ability to sustain permanent plastic bending strain (in a 3-point bend test) of at least 1% in a sample having a thickness subject to bending load of at least 1 mm, and having a critical rod diameter of at least 3 mm diameter or critical plate thickness of at least 1 mm.

6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass has at least two additional properties, selected from the group consisting of:

a mass density between 4.0 g/cc and 9 g/cc, a shear modulus of less than 55 GPa, a bulk modulus of at least 170 GPa, a Poisson'"'"'s ratio of at least 0.35, a compressive yield strength of at least 2.0 GPa, an elastic strain limit of at least 1.4%, a plastic zone radius estimated as (K_Q²/π

σ

_Y²), where σ

_Y is the compressive yield strength of the metallic glass and K_Q is the notch toughness, of at least 0.25 mm, an ability to sustain permanent plastic bending strain (in a 3-point bend test) of at least 1% in a sample having a thickness subject to bending load of at least 1 mm, and having a critical rod diameter of at least 3 mm diameter or critical plate thickness of at least 1 mm.

7. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass has a mass density between 4.0 g/cc and 9 g/cc, a shear modulus of less than 55 GPa, a bulk modulus of at least 170 GPa, a Poisson'"'"'s ratio of at least 0.35, a compressive yield strength of at least 2.0 GPa, an elastic strain limit of at least 1.4%, a plastic zone radius estimated as (K_Q²/π

σ

_Y²), where σ

_Y is the compressive yield strength of the metallic glass and K_Q is the notch toughness, of at least 0.25 mm, an ability to sustain permanent plastic bending strain (in a 3-point bend test) of at least 1% in a sample having a thickness subject to bending load of at least 1 mm, and having a critical rod diameter of at least 3 mm diameter or critical plate thickness of at least 1 mm.

8. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass comprises:

X_100-a-bY_aZ_b

where;

X is Ni, Fe, Co or combinations thereof;

Y is Cr, Mo, Mn, Nb, Ta or combinations thereof;

Z is P, B, Si or combinations thereof;

a is between 5 and 15 at %; and

b is between 15 and 25 at %.

9. The metallic glass of claim 8, wherein the alloy may include one or more of the following elements in concentrations of up to 3 at %:

W, Ru, Re, Cu, Pd, Pt, V, Sn.

10. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass comprises:

Ni_100-a-b-cW_aY_bZ_c

where;

W is Co, Fe, or combinations thereof;

Y is Cr, Mo, Mn, Nb, Ta or combinations thereof;

Z is P, B, Si or combinations thereof;

a is up to 40 at %;

b is between 5 and 15 at %;

and c is between 15 and 25 at %.

11. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass comprises:

Ni_100-a-b-cCr_aY_aZ_c

where;

Y is Mo, Mn, Nb, Ta or combinations thereof;

Z is P, B, Si or combinations thereof;

a is between 5 and 10 at %;

b is between 2.5 and 5 at %, and

c is between 15 and 25 at %.

12. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass comprises:

Ni_100-a-b-c-dCr_aY_bP_cZ_d

where;

Y is Mo, Mn, Nb, Ta, or combinations thereof;

Z is B, Si or combinations thereof;

a is between 5 and 10 at %;

b is between 2.5 and 5 at %,

c is between 16 and 19 at %, and

d is between 1 and 3.5 at %.

13. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass is capable of being formed into an object having a lateral dimension of at least 3 mm.

14. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the metallic glass is selected from the group consisting of:

Ni71.4Cr5.52Nb3.38P16.67B3.03, Ni72.5Cr5Nb₃P_16.5B₃;

Ni_70.75Cr₇Ta_2.75P_16.25B_3.25, Ni₆₉Cr_7.51Mn₃Mo₁P_16.5B₃, Ni_69.9Co_1.5Cr_5.52Nb_3.38P_16.67B_3.03, Ni_67.1Cr₁₀Nb_3.4P₁₈Si_1.5, Ni₇₄Mn_3.5Nb₃P_16.5B₃, and Ni_72.3Mo₃Nb₄Mn₁P_16.5B_3.2.

15. A method of forming at least one portion of a golf club from a metallic glass, the method comprising:

selecting and melting an alloy capable of forming a metallic glass having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 50 MPa-m^1/2, and wherein the metallic glass is capable of being formed an bulk object having a lateral dimension of at least 1 mm,

forming the alloy melt to fabricate at least one portion of the golf club; and

quenching the formed alloy melt at a cooling rate sufficiently rapid to prevent crystallization of the alloy to form at least one portion of a golf club from the metallic glass.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising fluxing the molten alloy prior to quenching by using a reducing agent.

17. The method of claim 15, the step of melting the alloy comprising heating the alloy melt at a temperature of at least 100°

C. above the liquidus temperature of the alloy.

18. The method of claim 15, the step of melting the alloy comprising heating the alloy melt at a temperature of at least 1100°

C.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the metallic glass has at least one additional property, selected from the group consisting of a mass density between 4.0 g/cc and 9 g/cc, a shear modulus of less than 55 GPa, a bulk modulus of at least 170 GPa, a Poisson'"'"'s ratio of at least 0.35, a compressive yield strength of at least 2.0 GPa, an elastic strain limit of at least 1.4%, a plastic zone radius estimated as (K_Q²/π

σ

_Y²), where σ

_Y is the compressive yield strength of the metallic glass and K_Q is the notch toughness, of at least 0.25 mm, an ability to sustain permanent plastic bending strain (in a 3-point bend test) of at least 1% in a sample having a thickness subject to bending load of at least 1 mm, and having a critical rod diameter of at least 3 mm diameter or critical plate thickness of at least 1 mm.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the metallic glass comprises:

X_100-a-bY_aZ_b

where;

X is Ni, Fe, Co or combinations thereof;

Y is Cr, Mo, Mn, Nb, Ta or combinations thereof;

Z is P, B, Si or combinations thereof;

a is between 5 and 15 at %; and

b is between 15 and 25 at %.