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US 12,370,600 B2Granted
Composite manufacturing methods using metal-polymer amalgamations
AssigneeM4 Sciences, LLC
InventorsJames B Mann, Brian J. Arnold, Brian D. Gootee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite material includes a plurality of metallic particles formed through modulation-assisted machining. The composite includes a thermoplastic polymer matrix which binds the plurality of metallic particles.
Claims18
A method for forming a composite, comprising:
- providing a plurality of metallic particles formed through modulation-assisted machining;
- providing a polymer;
- mixing the metallic particles with the polymer to create an amalgamation of the metallic particles and the polymer;
- heating the amalgamation of metallic particles and the polymer to a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is at least as high as a glass transition temperature of the polymer;
- and
- extruding the heated amalgamation of metallic particles and the polymer to form the composite having the metallic particles adhered with a polymer matrix;
- wherein the plurality of metallic particles each includes a textured surface that enhances adhesion of the metallic particles and the polymer matrix;
- wherein the modulation-assisted machining imparts a nano-crystalline microstructure into the plurality of metallic particles, and wherein the first temperature exceeds a grain growth temperature threshold of the metallic particles, whereby an internal structure of the metallic particles is transformed from the nano-crystalline microstructure into a microcrystalline microstructure.
5 more elements
A method for forming a composite through fused deposition modeling, comprising:
- Providing metallic particles, wherein the metallic particles were generated through modulation-assisted machining, wherein the metallic particles each include a textured surface that enhances the adhesion of the metallic particles and a polymer;
- Heating the polymer to a first temperature which is at least as high as a glass transition temperature of the polymer;
- and
- Forming the composite through extruding a heated mixture including the metallic particles and the polymer through a printer nozzle;
- wherein the modulation-assisted machining imparts a nano-crystalline microstructure into the plurality of metallic particles, and wherein the first temperature exceeds a grain growth temperature threshold of the metallic particles, whereby an internal structure of the metallic particles is transformed from the nano-crystalline microstructure into a microcrystalline microstructure.
2 more elements
A method for forming a composite, comprising:
- providing a plurality of metallic particles formed through modulated, assisted machining which imparts a nano-crystalline microstructure into the plurality of metallic particles;
- providing a polymer having a glass transition temperature;
- mixing the metallic particles with the polymer to create an amalgamation of the polymer with the metallic particles;
- heating the amalgamation of the polymer with the metallic particles to at least the glass transition temperature of the polymer;
- and
- extruding the heated amalgamation of the polymer with the metallic particles to form the composite having the metallic particles adhered with a polymer matrix;
- wherein the plurality of metallic particles each includes a textured surface that enhances adhesion of the metallic particles and the polymeric matrix;
- wherein the modulation-assisted machining imparts a nano-crystalline microstructure into the plurality of metallic particles, and wherein the first temperature exceeds a grain growth temperature threshold of the metallic particles, whereby an internal structure of the metallic particles is transformed from the nano-crystalline microstructure into a microcrystalline microstructure.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.