Method and apparatus for manufacturing composite materials

• US 6,629,557 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northeastern University, Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northeastern University, Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Katsumata, Makoto, Blucher, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kerns, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US09/824,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20020000302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 164/97, 164/98, 164/267, 164/268, 164/419, 164/461, 118/400, 118/405, 118/423, 427/431
• US Class Current: 164/97
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/00 Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/00361 characterised by structures including means for immersing or extracting the substrate through confining wall area
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/0038 characterised by the pre-treatment chambers located immediately upstream of the bath or occurring locally before the dipping process
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 26/02 applying molten material to the substrate

Abstract

A method and apparatus for manufacturing composite materials. In a first embodiment, a binding material is placed on a heat-resistant filter that is placed on hollow particles in a pressurizable container. Under pressure and heat, the binding material flows through the filter and infiltrates the spaces between the hollow particles. In a further embodiment, composite material wire is produced by coating the surfaces of inorganic fiber bundles with a metal oxide by dipping in a solution of a hydrolyzable organic metal compound and hydrolyzing and heat-treating prior to continuous infiltration under pressure. In a further embodiment, the apparatus includes orifices with enlarged diameter sections. In a still further embodiment, an apparatus is provided with ultrasonic vibration.

Claims

1. An apparatus for continuous pressure infiltration of metal into fiber bundles comprising:

a pressure chamber housing a bath container;

an entering orifice at an inlet at a bottom of the bath container;

an intermediate orifice between the bath container and the pressure chamber;

an exit orifice at an outlet at a top of the pressure chamber;

the entering orifice, the intermediate orifice, and the exit orifice defining an upwardly directed path for the fiber bundles;

an enlarged diameter section formed at an entrance end of each of the entering orifice, the intermediate orifice, and the exit orifice; and

an enlarged diameter section formed at an exit end of the exit orifice sufficient to minimize vibrations of fiber bundles from gas passing through the exit orifice.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the orifices are formed from at least one material that has a low reactivity with both molten metal and the fiber bundles, the material comprising stainless steel, tantalum, molybdenum, platinum, tungsten, or sintered zirconia-ceramic-based materials.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein passageways through each orifice are formed with a mirror finish.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an enlarged diameter section formed at an exit end of each of the entering orifice and the intermediate orifice.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the enlarged diameter section comprises flared walls.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the enlarged diameter section comprises a tapered passageway.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enlarged diameter section comprises flared walls.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enlarged diameter section comprises a tapered passageway.

9. An apparatus for the production of a fiber-reinforced metal matrix composite wire comprising:

a pressure chamber housing a bath container for holding a molten metal, an entering orifice at an inlet to the bath container, an intermediate orifice at an outlet of the bath container, and an exit orifice at an outlet of the pressure chamber, the orifices sized for passage of inorganic fiber bundles;

an ultrasonic wave generating device including a ceramic portion for applying ultrasonic vibration to the molten metal under pressure in the bath container, the ceramic portion penetrating through a seal in the pressure chamber;

a gas supply source for supplying a non-reacting gas into both the pressure chamber and the bath container; and

a conveying device for transporting and winding an inorganic fiber-reinforced metal matrix composite wire.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pressure chamber is maintained at a pressure sufficiently low to prevent blow out of molten material through the orifices.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pressure chamber is maintained at a pressure no greater than 50 psi.

12. A method for the production of a fiber-reinforced metal matrix composite wire comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising a pressure chamber housing a bath container for holding a molten metal, an entering orifice at an inlet to the bath container, an intermediate orifice at an outlet of the bath container, and an exit orifice at an outlet of the pressure chamber, the orifices sized for passage of inorganic fiber bundles, and an ultrasonic wave generating device including a ceramic portion penetrating through a seal in the pressure chamber;

continuously transporting the inorganic fiber bundles through the apparatus;

infiltrating under pressure the molten metal into the inorganic fiber bundles; and

applying ultrasonic vibration to the molten metal under pressure in the bath container.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing the inorganic fiber bundles as boron fibers, carbon fibers, ceramic fibers, or metal fibers.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the ceramic fiber bundles comprise fibers of aluminum oxide or silicon carbide.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal fiber bundles comprise tungsten fibers.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein in the infiltrating step, the molten metal comprises aluminum, an aluminum alloy, titanium, a titanium alloy, chromium, a chromium alloy, cobalt, a cobalt alloy, zinc, a zinc alloy, tin, a tin alloy, copper, a copper alloy, a superalloy of nickel, a superalloy of chromium, or a superalloy of cobalt.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the pressure chamber is maintained at a pressure sufficiently low to prevent blow out of molten material through the orifices.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the pressure chamber is maintained at a pressure no greater than 50 psi.