Back to results
US 12,752,338 B2Granted
Formation of metal articles using localized sonication
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsAashish Rohatgi, Jon L. Helgeland, Jens T. Darsell, Mert Efe, Naveen K. Karri, Katherine E. Rader
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Implementations are described herein that include placing an amount of liquid metal into a container and applying sound energy at one or more locations of the container while the metal cools. Articles can be formed that include a bulk region and one or more modified regions proximate to boundaries of the articles that correspond to the one or more locations at which the sound energy was applied.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- applying heat to an amount of a metallic material to produce a liquid metallic material;
- providing the amount of liquid metallic material to a container, the container having a cavity that is formed into a shape and at least a portion of the cavity is enclosed by a wall having a thickness;
- placing a sonication device within an opening in the wall at a location of the container, wherein the opening passes through the wall of the container, the opening is in fluid communication with the cavity of the container, and an end of the sonication device contacts the liquid metallic material while sound energy is being applied to the liquid metallic material;
- activating the sonication device to produce the sound energy that is applied to a portion of the amount of the liquid metallic material proximate to the location of the sonication device;
- and
- removing, from the container, a formed article comprised of the metallic material and having the shape of the cavity after the amount of the liquid metallic material has solidified.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- applying heat to an amount of a metallic material to produce a liquid metallic material;
- providing the amount of liquid metallic material to a container, the container having a cavity that is formed into a shape and at least a portion of the cavity is enclosed by a wall having a thickness;
- applying sound energy to a portion of the amount of the liquid metallic material proximate to a location of an opening in the wall of the container;
- and
- removing, from the container, a formed article comprised of the metallic material and having the shape of the cavity after the amount of the liquid metallic material has solidified, wherein:
- the formed article includes a bulk region and a modified region with the modified region being proximate to the location of the opening in the wall where the sound energy is applied;
- the bulk region is located outside the modified region and comprises a majority of a volume of the formed article;
- grains located in the modified region have first values of one or more characteristics that are different from second values of the one or more characteristics of additional grains located in the bulk region;
- and
- the one or more characteristics include at least one of aspect ratio, sphericity, or mean equivalent grain diameter.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.