FABRICATION OF HIGH-ENTROPY ALLOY WIRE AND MULTI-PRINCIPAL ELEMENT ALLOY WIRE

• US 20170209908A1
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HC Starck Solutions Coldwater LLC
• Original Assignee: David B. Smathers, Gary A. Rozak, Maria B. Winnicka, Michael Thomas Stawovy, Patrick Hogan
• Inventors: SMATHERS, David B., STAWOVY, Michael Thomas, WINNICKA, Maria B., ROZAK, Gary A., HOGAN, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,668,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/003 Drawing materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special drawing methods or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/02 Drawing metal wire or like flexible metallic material by drawing machines or apparatus in which the drawing action is effected by drums
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 23/002 Extruding materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special extruding methods of sequences
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/065 Spherical particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/068 Flake-like particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/34 of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/66 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2301/20 Refractory metals
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/02 Compacting only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/12 of wires of tubes B22F5/10
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/06 of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools B22F7/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0093 characterised by the properties of the materials to be welded
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/0272 with more than one layer of coating or sheathing material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/32 with the principal constituent melting at more than 1550 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/406 Filled tubular wire or rods B23K35/402 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/04 : Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 : Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 27/02 : Alloys based on vanadium, niobium, or tantalum
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 30/00 : Alloys containing less than 50% by weight of each constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/00 : Etching metallic material by chemical means manufacture of printing surfaces B41C; manufacture of printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

In various embodiments, metallic wires are fabricated by combining one or more powders of substantially spherical metal particles with one or more powders of non-spherical particles within one or more optional metallic tubes. The metal elements within the powders (and the one or more tubes, if present) collectively define a high entropy alloy of five or more metallic elements or a multi-principal element alloy of four or more metallic elements.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A multi-principal element alloy wire preform comprising four or more metallic elements, the wire preform comprising an assemblage of (i) one or more first metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each first metal powder are substantially spherical, and (ii) one or more second metal powders each comprising one or more of the metallic elements, wherein particles of each second metal powder are non-spherical.

13. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein the four or more metallic elements comprise at least four of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, or Cr.

14. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein at least one first metal powder is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements.

15. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein at least one first metal powder is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements.

16. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein at least one second metal powder is an elemental powder consisting essentially of one of the metallic elements.

17. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein at least one second metal powder is an alloy powder consisting essentially of two or more of the metallic elements.

18. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein the non-spherical particles of at least one second metal powder are angular flakes.

19. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein an oxygen concentration of the one or more first metal powders is 300 ppm or less.

20. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein an oxygen concentration of the one or more second metal powders is 300 ppm or less.

21. The wire preform of claim 12, wherein an oxygen concentration of the wire preform is 300 ppm or less.

22. The wire preform of claim 12, further comprising one or more metallic tubes surrounding the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders, each metallic tube comprising at least one of the metallic elements.

23-52. -52. (canceled)

53. A method of fabricating a metallic wire, the method comprising:

combining, to form at least a portion of a preform, (i) one or more first metal powders each comprising a plurality of substantially spherical particles, and (ii) one or more second metal powders each comprising a plurality of non-spherical particles, the one or more second metal powders being mixed with the one or more first metal powders such that a composition of the preform is substantially homogeneous along a length of the preform; and

reducing a diameter of the preform via one or more mechanical deformation processes, thereby forming a metallic wire,

wherein (i) the metallic wire comprises a high-entropy alloy comprising five or more metallic elements or a multi-principal element alloy comprising four or more metallic elements, (ii) each first metal powder comprises at least one of the metallic elements, and (iii) each second metal powder comprises at least one of the metallic elements.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the metallic elements comprise at least four of Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ti, Hf, V, Zr, Al, or Cr.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the non-spherical particles of at least one second metal powder are angular flakes.

62. The method of claim 53, wherein the one or more mechanical deformation processes comprise at least one of drawing, pilgering, swaging, extrusion, or rolling.

63. The method of claim 53, wherein the preform comprises one or more metallic tubes surrounding the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders, each metallic tube comprising at least one of the metallic elements.

64. The method of claim 53, wherein the one or more first metal powders and the one or more second metal powders are combined within one or more sacrificial tubes, and further comprising removing the one or more sacrificial tubes after reducing the diameter of the preform.

66. The method of claim 53, wherein at least one said first metal powder is provided by a process comprising:

providing a plurality of metal particulates;

feeding the metal particulates into a plasma, thereby at least partially melting the metal particulates; and

cooling the at least partially melted metal particulates to form substantially spherical particles.

67. The method of claim 53, wherein at least one said second metal powder is provided by a process comprising:

hydrogenating metal to form a metal hydride;

mechanically grinding the metal hydride into a plurality of non-spherical particles; and

dehydrogenating the non-spherical metal hydride particles.

72. A wire formed according to the method of claim 53.

55-58. -58. (canceled)

60-61. -61. (canceled)

65. (canceled)

68-71. -71. (canceled)

73-92. -92. (canceled)