Method and apparatus for supercooling of metal/alloy melts and for the formation of amorphous metals therefrom
AssigneeGlassy Metals LLC
InventorsJohn T. Preston, Eric Dahlgren, Steve Lemoi
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is described for creation of amorphous metals using electromagnetic supercooling of a metal/alloy without the utilization of rapid quenching nor immaculate process environments. By exposing the cooling melt to electric currents, either induced by an alternating magnetic field or supplied directly, crystallization is suppressed and the melt can reach significant levels of supercooling. With sufficient current densities in the melt the supercooling can extend all the way into the glass transition range for certain materials at which point an amorphous metal/alloy is created.
Claims41
A method of supercooling metals, comprising the steps of:
- heating a metal to a molten state;
- and,
- allowing the molten metal to cool below the melting point in the presence of a crystallization suppressing influence involving the injection of electromagnetic energy sufficient to avoid crystallization.
An at least partially amorphous metal made using reduced quenching rates by heating the metal to a molten state, and allowing cooling in the presence of the injection of electromagnetic energy sufficient to prevent crystallization during the cooling process.
A method for forming an improved metal without rapid quenching by heating the metal to a molten state, and cooling the molten metal while injecting electromagnetic energy into the melt sufficient to suppress crystallization during cool down.
A method for forming an at least partially amorphous metal without rapid quenching by heating the metal to a molten state, and cooling the molten metal while injecting energy into the melt sufficient to suppress crystallization during cool down.
A method of creating a metal with characteristics associated with that of amorphous metal, comprising the steps of:
- heating a metal to its molten state;
- and,
- allowing the molten metal to cool in the presence of a crystallization suppressing influence.
A method for producing a supercooled thermal steady state in a metal, comprising the steps of:
- heating the metal to a molten state;
- cooling the metal to a fixed temperature below the melting point of the metal while applying energy to the melt to suppress crystallization;
- and
- maintaining the metal at the fixed temperature while applying energy to the metal to suppress crystallization.
An article of manufacture comprising a liquid metal at a supercooled temperature at least 5° Kelvin below a melting point of the metal.
An article of manufacture comprising an amorphous metal composed of a substantially pure metal.
An article of manufacture comprising an amorphous metal consisting of a metal alloy.
A method of manufacturing a metal wherein at least one of crystal structure, grain size and orientation is controlled by applying an electromagnetic field during crystallization.
A method for increasing the degree of supercooling associated with cooling a molten metal to a thermally stable supercooled state at a temperature below the melting temperature of the metal, comprising the steps of:
- heating a metal to a molten state;
- and,
- allowing the molten metal to cool in the presence of a crystallization suppressing influence involving the injection of electromagnetic energy sufficient to avoid crystallization, the crystallization suppressing influence being increased by providing a cooling modality to cool the molten metal and injecting additional electromagnetic energy into the molten metal while cooling the molten metal for increasing the superconducting ΔT and thus the degree of superconductivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.