Back to results
US 11,117,206 B2Granted
Heterogeneous composite bodies with isolated cermet regions formed by high temperature, rapid consolidation
AssigneePowdermet, Inc.
InventorsMark Grogan, Brian Doud, Andrew Sherman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.
Claims41
A method for making a heterogeneous body having a surface, and wherein said heterogeneous body comprises a plurality of ceramic-metallic composites bonded together, said method comprising:
- a. providing said plurality of ceramic-metallic composites, each of said ceramic-metallic composites including a ceramic rich cermet region coated with a metal coating about the outer surface of said ceramic rich cermet region, said ceramic rich cermet region comprises a plurality of ceramic particles that are bonded together by a metallic binder, a content of metal in said metal coating greater than a content of metal of said metallic binder;
- and
- b. binding together said plurality of ceramic-metallic composites by a compaction method to form said heterogeneous body, said compaction method occurring at a temperature and for a time period such that said metal coating of ceramic-metallic composites bonds with said metal coating of adjacently positioned ceramic-metallic composites while said ceramic rich cermet region of said ceramic-metallic composites remains intact, a majority of said ceramic-rich cermet regions are spaced from one another in said heterogeneous body after said binding step, and
- wherein said ceramic-metallic composites remain intact after formation of said heterogeneous body and a majority of said ceramic-rich cermet regions are spaced from one another in said heterogeneous body;
- and
- wherein said ceramic rich cermet regions in said heterogeneous body are not uniformly distributed in said heterogeneous body.
3 more elements
A method of forming a heterogeneous solid by spark plasma sintering, said method comprising:
- a. selecting a plurality of ceramic-metallic composites, each of said ceramic-metallic composites including a ceramic rich cermet region coated with a metal coating about the outer surface of said ceramic rich cermet region, said ceramic rich cermet regions comprises a plurality of ceramic particles bonded together by a metallic binder, said ceramic particles having an average particle size of 1 to 500 microns, a content of metal in said metal coating greater than a content of metal of said metallic binder;
- b. heating said ceramic-metallic composites by spark plasma sintering to cause said metallic coating to at least soften while said ceramic rich cermet region maintains it shape;
- and
- c. compacting said heated ceramic-metallic composite to form said heterogeneous solid, said heterogeneous solid having spherical to lenticular shaped ceramic rich cermet regions in a metal matrix, 80-100% of said metal matrix formed of metal from said metallic coating said ceramic-metallic composites, a majority of said ceramic rich cermet region spaced from one another by said metal matrix, and
- wherein said ceramic-metallic composites remain intact after formation of said heterogeneous body and a majority of said ceramic-rich cermet regions are spaced from one another in said heterogeneous body;
- and
- wherein said ceramic rich cermet regions in said heterogeneous body are not uniformly distributed in said heterogeneous body.
4 more elements
A method for making a heterogeneous body having a surface, and wherein said heterogeneous body comprises a plurality of ceramic rich cermet regions dispersed in a metal matrix, said method comprising:
- a. providing a plurality of ceramic-metallic composites, each of said ceramic-metallic composites including a ceramic rich cermet region coated with a metal coating about the outer surface of said ceramic rich cermet region, each of said ceramic rich cermet region comprises a plurality of ceramic particles that are bonded together by a metallic binder, each of said ceramic rich cermet regions include 5-70 vol. % of said metallic binder and 30-95 vol. % of said ceramic particles, a content of metal in said metal coating greater than a content of metal of said metallic binder;
- and,
- b. binding together said plurality of ceramic-metallic composites by a compaction method to form said heterogeneous body, said compaction method occurring at a temperature and for a time period such that said metal coating of ceramic-metallic composites bonds with said metal coating of adjacently positioned ceramic-metallic composites while said ceramic rich cermet region of said ceramic-metallic composites remains intact, at least 80 wt. % of said metal matrix formed by said metal coating on said ceramic-metallic composites, a majority of said ceramic-rich cermet regions are spaced from one another in said heterogeneous body after said binding step, said compaction method includes one or more heating methods selected from the group consisting of spark plasma sintering, field assisted sintering technique, spark plasma or field assisted extrusion, rapid omnidirectional compaction, powder forging, hot isostatic pressing, hot pressing, and powder rolling with spark plasma sintering, and
- wherein said ceramic-metallic composites remain intact after formation of said heterogeneous body and a majority of said ceramic-rich cermet regions are spaced from one another in said heterogeneous body;
- and
- wherein said ceramic rich cermet regions in said heterogeneous body are not uniformly distributed in said heterogeneous body.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.