BULK NICKEL-PHOSPHORUS-BORON GLASSES BEARING MANGANESE, NIOBIUM AND TANTALUM

• US 20150047755A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Glassimetal Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Na, Jong Hyun, Duggins, Danielle, Floyd, Michael, Garrett, Glenn, Launey, Maximilien, Demetriou, Marios D., Johnson, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,863,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 148/555
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/023 Alloys based on nickel
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/11 Making amorphous alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 19/03 based on nickel
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 45/04 with nickel or cobalt as the major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/002 by rapid cooling or quenching; cooling agents used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/10 of nickel or cobalt or alloys based thereon

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to Ni—P—B alloys and glasses containing small fractions of Nb and Ta and optionally Mn. Over a specific range, the alloys are capable of forming bulk metallic glasses having critical casting thickness in excess of 1 mm. In one embodiment, compositions with a Mn content of between 3 and 4 atomic percent, Nb content of about 3 atomic percent, B content of about 3 atomic percent, and P content of about 16.5 atomic percent, where the balance in Ni, were capable of forming bulk metallic glass rods with diameters as large as 5 mm or larger. In another embodiment, Ni-based compositions with a Mn content of between 5 and 7 atomic percent, Ta content of between 1 and 2 atomic percent, B content of about 3 atomic percent, and P content of about 16.5 atomic percent, where the balance in Ni, were capable of forming bulk metallic glass rods with diameters as large as 5 mm or larger.

Claims

1. An alloy capable of forming a metallic glass represented by the following formula (subscripts denote atomic percentages):

Ni_{(100-a-b-c-d)}Mn_aX_bP_cB_d 

 

(1)

where;

a is up to 15

b is between 0.5 and 10

c is between 12 and 21

d is between 1 and 6

wherein X is at least one of Nb and Ta.

2. The alloy of claim 1, wherein b is at least 1, and the alloy also comprises Mo at atomic concentration of less than 1 percent and/or Cr at atomic concentration of less than 3 percent.

3. The alloy of claim 1, wherein the sum of c and d is between 18.5 and 20.5.

4. The alloy of claim 1, wherein the sum of c and d is between 19 and 20.

5. The alloy of claim 1, wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 1 mm.

6. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Nb, a is between 0.25 and 5, b is between 1.5 and 4.5, c is between 15.25 to 17.75, and d is between 1.5 and 4.5, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 1 mm.

7. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Nb, a is between 0.5 and 4.5, b is between 2 and 4, c is between 15.5 to 17.5, and d is between 2 and 4, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 2 mm.

8. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Nb, a is between 1 and 4, b is between 2 and 4, c is between 16 to 17, and d is between 2.25 and 3.75, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 3 mm.

9. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Nb, a is between 2.5 and 3.75, b is between 2.5 and 3.5, c is between 16.25 to 16.75, and d is between 2.5 and 3.5, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 4 mm.

10. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Ta, a is between 3 and 9, b is between 0.5 and 4.5, c is between 15.25 to 17.75, and d is between 1.5 and 4.5, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 1 mm.

11. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Ta, a is between 4 and 8, b is between 0.5 and 4, c is between 15.5 to 17.5, and d is between 2 and 4, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 2 mm.

12. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Ta, a is between 4.25 and 7.75, b is between 0.5 and 3.5, c is between 16 to 17, and d is between 2.25 and 3.75, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 3 mm.

13. The alloy of claim 1, wherein X is Ta, a is between 4.5 and 7.5, b is between 0.5 and 3.25, c is between 16.25 to 16.75, and d is between 2.5 and 3.5, and wherein the critical rod diameter is at least 4 mm.

14. A metallic glass comprising an alloy of claim 1.

15. The metallic glass of claim 14, wherein the metallic glass has a notch toughness of at least 60 MPa m^1/2.

16. The metallic glass of claim 14, wherein the metallic glass has a yield strength of at least 2150 MPa.

17. A method of producing the metallic glass of claim 14 comprising:

melting the alloy into a molten state; and

quenching the melt at a cooling rate sufficiently rapid to prevent crystallization of the alloy.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising fluxing the melt with a reducing agent prior to quenching.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the reducing agent is boron oxide.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the melt prior to quenching is heated to at least 1200°

C.