Objects made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and method of making same
AssigneeCrucible Intellectual Property, LLC
InventorsAtakan Peker, Choongnyun Paul Kim, Tranquoc Thebao Nguyen
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Abstract
Metallic dental prostheses made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys wherein the dental prosthesis has an elastic strain limit of around 1.2% or more and methods of making such metallic dental prostheses are provided.
Claims23
1-20. (canceled)
A method of manufacturing a dental prosthesis comprising:
- providing a feedstock of a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
- heating the feedstock to above the melting temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to form a molten alloy;
- shaping the molten alloy to form a near-to-net shape dental prosthesis;
- and
- quenching the dental prosthesis at a cooling rate sufficient to ensure that the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy has a substantially amorphous atomic structure having an elastic strain limit of around 1.2% or more.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the step of heating is conducted in an inert environment.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the step of heating is conducted under a vacuum.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy is described by the following molecular formula:
- (Zr, Ti)a(Ni, Cu, Fe)b(Be, Al, Si, B)c, wherein “a” is in the range of from about 30 to 75, “b” is in the range of from about 5 to 60, and “c” in the range of from about 0 to 50 in atomic percentages
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy is described substantially by the following molecular formula:
- (Zr)a(Nb, Ti)b (Ni, Cu)c(Al)d, where a is in the range of from 45 to 65, b is in the range of from 0 to 10, c is in the range of from 20 to 40, and d in the range of from 7.5 to 15 in atomic percentages.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy has a coefficient of thermal expansion of around 10−5 (m/m° C.) or less.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy further comprises a ductile metallic crystalline phase precipitate.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy is based on ferrous metals having a hardness of about 7.5 Gpa and higher.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy has a glass transition temperature lower than 400° C.
31-33. (canceled)
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the step of shaping comprises one of the methods selected from the group consisting of:
- molding, casting and investment casting.
The method as described in claim 37, wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy has a critical cooling rate of 100° C./second or less.
(canceled)
A method of manufacturing an object, comprising:
- providing a feedstock of a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
- heating the feedstock to above the melting temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy to form a molten alloy;
- shaping the molten alloy to form a near-to-net shape object;
- and
- quenching the object at a cooling rate sufficient to ensure that the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy has a substantially amorphous atomic structure.
A method of manufacturing an object, comprising:
- providing a feedstock of a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
- softening the feedstock below the melting temperature of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy;
- shaping the softened feedstock to form a near-to-net shape object;
- and
- quenching the object at a cooling rate sufficient to ensure that the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy has a substantially amorphous atomic structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.