Article comprising a fine-grained metallic material and a polymeric material

• US 7,553,553 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Integran Technologies Incorporated (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Integran Technologies Incorporated (Analog Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Andrew, McCrea, Jonathan, Tomantschger, Klaus, Panagiotopoulos, Konstantinos, Limoges, Dave, Jeong, Daehyun, Erb, Uwe, Palumbo, Gino, Brooks, Iain
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Austin; Aaron
• Application Number:
  US12/000,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20080090066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 428/626
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 87/00 Fishing rods
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 9/00 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/10 made of non-metallic materials, other than wood
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/12 made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/12 Metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/00 Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 26/00 Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 15/02 Combined electrolytic and electrophoretic processes with charged materials
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/605 Surface topography of the layers, e.g. rough, dendritic or nodular layers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 7/00 Electroplating characterised by the article coated
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/30 : of plastics , i.e. the cartridge-case tube is of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12049 : Nonmetal component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12201 : Width or thickness variation or marginal cuts repeating longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12569 : Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1321 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249941 : Fiber is on the surface of a polymeric matrix having no embedded portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 : Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 : Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 : Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31685 : Natural source polyamide [e.g., casein, gelatin, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

Lightweight articles comprising a polymeric material at least partially coated with a fine-grained metallic material are disclosed. The fine-grained metallic material has an average grain size of 2 nm to 5,000 nm, a thickness between 25 micron and 5 cm, and a hardness between 200 VHN and 3,000 VHN. The lightweight articles are strong and ductile and exhibit high coefficients of restitution and a high stiffness and are particularly suitable for a variety of applications including aerospace and automotive parts, sporting goods, and the like.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

(i) a permanent substrate comprising a polymer material with or without particulate addition, and

(ii) a fine grained metallic layer having a grain size in the range of 2 to 5,000 nm, a thickness ranging from 30 microns to 5 cm, a modulus of resilience ranging from 0.25 to 25 MPa; and

wherein a surface of said polymer substrate is coated over at least a portion thereof with the fine grained metallic layer or an intermediate conductive layer which is coated with said fine grained metallic layer and has an average surface roughness of Ra 0.25 to 25 micron over at least the portion which is coated.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein said article contains a layer intermediate (i) and (ii) selected from the group of a metallic intermediate layer, a polymeric adhesive intermediate layer and a conductive polymeric intermediate layer containing conductive particulates.

3. The article of claim 1 which has a yield strength of at least 25 MPa and a bending stiffness per unit weight improved by at least 5% compared to that of the same article without a fine grained metallic layer and an intermediate layer.

4. The article of claim 3 which is a mold.