Production of metal glass in bulk form
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating a metal glass object having bulk dimensions, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing an apparatus comprising an anode and a cathode, coupled to each other through a power supply;
b. providing, in contact with the anode and the cathode, a liquid comprising at least two ions, at least one of which is a metallic ion, the liquid being a specific composition that promotes formation of a metal glass body;
c. providing an electric potential between the cathode and the anode such that at least two elements plate out of the liquid at the cathode, at least one of which elements is a metal, to form metal glass at the cathode; and
d. maintaining conditions sufficiently regular for a sufficiently long time so that the elements continue to plate at the cathode as a metal glass until a body is formed that has at least bulk size in three orthogonal directions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for fabricating metal glasses in bulk form uses electrodeposition. Careful control is maintained of: (i) bath chemistry, (ii) deposition temperature; and (iii) electrical plating conditions, such as the current density, for an extended period of time, such as six hours. Composition of electrodeposition liquid is closely controlled, and adjusted when it differs from desired. Monitoring can be active, as by spectrophotometric analysis, or by comparison of time to a calibration table. A dissolving anode can replenish depleted components. Temperature of the liquid is typically maintained within ±2° C. Object composition can be, but is not limited to: Nickel (Ni) and Tungsten (W); Iron (Fe) and Molybdenum (Mo); Iron (Fe) and Tungsten (W); Nickel (Ni) and Molybdenum (Mo); Nickel (Ni) and Phosphorous (P); Nickel (Ni), Tungsten (W) and Boron (B); Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni) and Carbon (C); Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Phosphorous (P) and Carbon (C); Cobalt (Co) and Tungsten (W); Chromium (Cr) and Phosphorous (P); Copper (Cu) and Silver (Ag); Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn); Cobalt (Co) and Zinc (Zn). Metal glass bulk objects can be electroformed from elements that can not be cast, either due to excessively high melting temperatures, or less than perfect miscibility. Metal glass objects can be unitary, or may include a core of another material. Electrodeposition liquid may be aqueous, alcohol, hydrogen chloride, or metal salt. Useful metal glass objects include but are not limited to at least a portion of: a golf club head; a racquet head, for instance a tennis or squash racquet head; a snowboard; a ski edge; knife blade cutting edge; and many different types of springs.
29 Citations
115 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating a metal glass object having bulk dimensions, comprising the steps of:
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a. providing an apparatus comprising an anode and a cathode, coupled to each other through a power supply;
b. providing, in contact with the anode and the cathode, a liquid comprising at least two ions, at least one of which is a metallic ion, the liquid being a specific composition that promotes formation of a metal glass body;
c. providing an electric potential between the cathode and the anode such that at least two elements plate out of the liquid at the cathode, at least one of which elements is a metal, to form metal glass at the cathode; and
d. maintaining conditions sufficiently regular for a sufficiently long time so that the elements continue to plate at the cathode as a metal glass until a body is formed that has at least bulk size in three orthogonal directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. An object comprising a metal glass portion having dimensions of at least one mm in each of three orthogonal directions, said metal glass portion having been formed by a process comprising the steps of:
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a. providing an apparatus comprising an anode and a cathode, coupled to each other through a power supply;
b. providing in contact with the anode and the cathode, a liquid solution comprising at least two ions, at least one of which is a metallic ion, the solution being a specific composition that promotes formation of a metal glass body;
c. providing an electric potential between the cathode and the anode such that at least two elements plate out of the liquid at the cathode, at least one of which elements is a metal, to form metal glass at the cathode; and
d. maintaining conditions sufficiently regular for a sufficiently long time so that the elements continue to plate at the cathode as a metal glass until a body is formed that has at least bulk size in three orthogonal directions. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. An object having an internal core region and a metal glass outer portion having bulk dimensions and a useful shaped geometry, said object having been formed by a process comprising the steps of:
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a. providing an apparatus comprising an anode and a cathode, coupled to each other through a power supply, the cathode being of metal and being of a shape suitable as a progenitor shape for a finished object having the useful shaped geometry;
b. providing, in contact with the anode and the cathode, a liquid comprising a solution having at least two ions, at least one of which is a metallic ion, the composition being a specific composition that promotes formation of a metal glass body;
c. providing an electric potential between the cathode and the anode such that at least two elements plate out of the liquid at the cathode, at least one of which elements is a metal, to form metal glass at the cathode; and
d. maintaining conditions sufficiently regular for a sufficiently long time so that the elements continue to plate at the cathode as a metal glass until a body is formed that has a metal glass covering over the cathode, which covering is at least bulk size in three orthogonal directions and which body has the useful shaped geometry. - View Dependent Claims (91)
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92. An object having an interior region and a metal glass outer portion having bulk dimensions and a useful shaped geometry, said object comprising:
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a. an interior region of a shape suitable as an electroforming progenitor shape for a finished object having the useful shaped geometry; and
b. adjacent at least one surface of said interior region, an electroformed metal glass body comprising at least two elements, at least one of which is a metal, that is at least bulk size in three orthogonal directions and which body has the useful shaped geometry. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115)
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Specification