Methods of making ceramic and metal compositions

• US 8,455,377 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Materials Evolution and Development USA Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Materials Evolution and Development USA Incorporated
• Inventors: Lyles, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): DICKINSON, PAUL W
• Application Number:
  US12/370,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20090148592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 501/2
• US Class Current: 501/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/025 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/04 - A61L27/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/105 containing Al2O3
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/427 of other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/422 or A61L27/425
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/114 the porous products being formed by impregnation B22F3/1137, B22F3/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/46 Rock wool ; Ceramic or silicate fibres C04B14/40, C04B14/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/0031 Heavy materials, e.g. concrete used as ballast material
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00836 for medical or dental applications
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/0013 Boron compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3409 Boron oxide, borates, boric acids, or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. borax
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3826 Silicon carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/386 Boron nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5224 Alumina or aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5232 Silica or silicates other than aluminosilicates, e.g. quartz
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/77 Density
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 30/02 containing fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/10 based on aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/14 based on silica
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/18 rich in aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62655 Drying, e.g. freeze-drying, spray-drying, microwave or supercritical drying
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/80 : Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/806 : The matrix of the ceramic products consisting of non-oxides only
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/00 : Porous mortars, concrete, artificial stone or ceramic ware; Preparation thereof treating slag with gases or gas generating material C04B5/06 ; expanded graphite C04B35/536
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0054 : the pores being microsized or nanosized
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/0072 : Heat treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/009 : characterised by the material treated
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4539 : as a emulsion, dispersion or suspension
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4549 : Nanometer-sized particles
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4556 : coating or impregnating with a product reacting with the substrate, e.g. generating a metal coating by surface reduction of a ceramic substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/5127 : Cu, e.g. Cu-CuO eutectic
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/88 : Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/08 : Alloys with open or closed pores
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/551 : the carrier being inorganic

Abstract

A novel metal/ceramic hybrid material in which the void space of the ceramic is filled with metal. The metal may be bonded to the ceramic, for example by formation of a metal oxide. The metal may be introduced into the ceramic as small particles in a suspension then heated to melt the metal, allowing bonding to the ceramic or better filling of the void space. The hybrid material may be used in a variety of applications.

Claims

1. A method of making a hybrid material comprising:

providing a porous ceramic with a matrix of interconnected void space wherein the ceramic includes exposed surfaces comprising at least 50% silicon dioxide prior to introducing metal particles into the void space;

introducing a fluid comprising the metal particles into the porous ceramic such that the metal particles flow throughout the interconnected void space of the ceramic; and

heating the metal particles to cause the metal particles present in the interconnected void space of the ceramic to react with oxygen of the silicon dioxide of the ceramic to form a covalent bond between the metal and the ceramic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal particles are heated by supplying an electric current to the metal particles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic comprises 100% silica.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic comprises up to 50% cristobalite.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic comprises up to 60% alumina.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic includes exposed surfaces comprising titanium dioxide or platinum oxide prior to introducing the metal particles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal particles are selected from the group consisting of:

Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, Ag, Cd, Pt, Au, any ionic forms thereof, and any combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal particles comprise an alloy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal particles are microparticles.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal particles are nanoparticles.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceramic has an average pore size and the metal particles have an average diameter and wherein the average diameter of the metal particles is less than the average pore size of the ceramic.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the average diameter of the metal particles is no greater then two thirds the average pore size of the ceramic.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing metal particles into the matrix of interconnected void space comprises introducing a suspension of metal particles into the ceramic.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the suspension of metal particles comprises alcohol, water or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the metal particles further comprises convection heating.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least 50% of the void space is occupied by the metal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises at least 50% of the hybrid material by weight.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises at least 50% of the hybrid material by volume.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing a fluid comprising the metal particles into the porous ceramic such that the metal particles flow throughout the interconnected void space of the ceramic comprises:

surrounding the ceramic with the fluid comprising the metal particles, such that the fluid flows throughout the interconnected void space of the ceramic; and

removing the ceramic from the fluid, wherein fluid that has flowed in the interconnected void space of the ceramic remains in the void space after removing the ceramic from the fluid.