Stable undercooled metallic particles for engineering at ambient conditions
AssigneeIowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsMartin Thuo, Ian Tevis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Undercooled liquid metallic core-shell particles, whose core is stable against solidification at ambient conditions, i.e. under near ambient temperature and pressure conditions, are used to join or repair metallic non-particulate components. The undercooled-shell particles in the form of nano-size or micro-size particles comprise an undercooled stable liquid metallic core encapsulated inside an outer shell, which can comprise an oxide or other stabilizer shell typically formed in-situ on the undercooled liquid metallic core. The shell is ruptured to release the liquid phase core material to join or repair a component(s).
Claims17
A liquid metallic core-shell particle comprising:
- an undercooled liquid metallic core comprising a metal or alloy, the undercooled liquid metallic core having a melting point in the range of 62° C. to 250° C.;
- and
- an outer shell on the undercooled liquid metallic core, the outer shell comprising an inorganic or organic adlayer, wherein the inorganic or organic adlayer comprises acetate, phosphate, or a combination thereof;
- wherein the undercooled liquid metallic core is a liquid when the liquid metallic core-shell particle has a temperature equal to room temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.