# US 2016/0211531 A1 · Powdered metal component

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- Number: US 2016/0211531 A1
- Document ID: US20160211531A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/915,957
- Filed: 2014-08-19
- Published: 2016-07-21
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-02
- Assignees: Plansee SE
- Applicants: Plansee SE
- Inventors: MICHAEL O'SULLIVAN; LORENZ SIGL; MARCO BRANDNER; ANDREAS VENSKUTONIS; WOLFGANG KRAUSSLER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160211531A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/0232: Metals or alloys
- B22F 1/05: Metallic powder characterised by the size or surface area of the particles
- B22F 1/09: {Mixtures of metallic powders}
- B22F 3/162: {Machining, working after consolidation}
- B22F 5/00: Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
- B22F 5/006: {of flat products, e.g. sheets (B22F3/1103 takes precedence; by using pressure rollers only see B22F3/18)}
- B22F 9/20: starting from solid metal compounds
- C04B 7/434: {Preheating with addition of fuel, e.g. calcining}
- C22C 1/08: Alloys with open or closed pores
- C22C 1/1078: {by internal oxidation of material in solid state}
- C22C 27/06: Alloys based on chromium
- C23C 8/12: using elemental oxygen or ozone
- C23C 8/16: using oxygen-containing compounds, e.g. water, carbon dioxide
- F23C 3/008: {for pulverulent fuel}
- F27B 7/00: Rotary-drum furnaces, i.e. horizontal or slightly inclined
- F27B 7/20: Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for rotary-drum furnaces
- F27B 7/2016: {Arrangements of preheating devices for the charge}
- F27B 7/2033: {with means for precalcining the raw material}
- F27B 7/34: Arrangements of heating devices
- F27D 99/0033: {using burners}
- H01M 8/0243: in the form of mixtures
- H01M 8/12: operating at high temperature, e.g. with stabilised ZrO2 electrolyte
- H01M 50/522: Inorganic material
- B22F 2003/247: {Removing material: carving, cleaning, grinding, hobbing, honing, lapping, polishing, milling, shaving, skiving, turning the surface}
- B22F 2005/005: {Article surface comprising protrusions}
- B22F 2201/013: Hydrogen
- B22F 2201/03: Oxygen
- B22F 2201/04: CO or CO2
- B22F 2201/05: Water or water vapour
- B22F 2301/20: Refractory metals
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- F23C: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN {A CARRIER GAS OR} AIR (burners F23D)
- F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
- F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A powder metallurgical component has a chromium content of at least 80% by weight and pores and/or oxide inclusions which are present in the component. The number per unit area of a sum of pores and oxide inclusions at a cut surface through the component in at least one region is at least 10,000 per mm2.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-26. (canceled)

### Claim 27

A powder metallurgical component, comprising:
a chromium content of at least 80% by weight;
at least one of pores or oxide inclusions present in the component; and
a sum of said pores and said oxide inclusions at a cut surface through the component in at least one region amounting to a number per unit area of at least 10,000 per mm2.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein said number per unit area of said sum of said pores and said oxide inclusions at said cut surface is at least 90,000 per mm2.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein said chromium content is at least 90% by weight.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein said region of the component has a density over an entire component thickness of between 70% and 95% of a theoretical density.

### Claim 31 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein at least 90% of said pores and said oxide inclusions have a maximum equivalent diameter of not more than 12 μm.

### Claim 32 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein at least 90% of said pores and said oxide inclusions have an area of not more than 100 μm2.

### Claim 33 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein said region has a total oxygen content of <20,000 μg per 1 g of the component.

### Claim 34 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein said region has a total nitrogen content of <2000 μg per 1 g of the component.

### Claim 35 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, wherein said region has an Al2O3 content of <500 μg per 1 g of the component.

### Claim 36 (depends on 27)

The powder metallurgical component according to claim 27, which further comprises an oxygen content increasing over a component thickness from a middle to edges of the component.

### Claim 37

A process for producing a powder metallurgical component having a chromium content of at least 80% by weight, at least one of pores or oxide inclusions present in the component, and a sum of the pores and the oxide inclusions at a cut surface through the component in at least one region amounting to a number per unit area of at least 10,000 per mm2, the process comprising the following steps:
(i) providing a powder batch including chromium and optionally other metals, the chromium having a content of at least 80% by weight, based on a total metal content, and the powder batch including powder having a BET surface area of ≧0.05 m2/g;
(ii) pressing the powder batch to form a compact;
(iv) sintering the compact at from 1100 to 1500° C.;
(v) oxidizing the sintered component in a presence of an oxygen source; and
(vi) removing the oxide layer from the surface.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The process according to claim 37, which further comprises (iii) presintering the compact at from 600 to 1000° C., between step (ii) pressing the powder batch to form a compact and step (iv) sintering the compact at from 1100 to 1500° C.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The process according to claim 37, wherein the oxygen source is selected from the group consisting of H2O, O2, CO2 and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 40 (depends on 37)

The process according to claim 37, which further comprises carrying out the sintering step under a hydrogen atmosphere.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The process according to claim 38, which further comprises carrying out the presintering step under a hydrogen atmosphere.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The process according to claim 38, which further comprises carrying out a calibration pressing operation between the presintering step and the sintering step.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The process according to claim 42, which further comprises carrying out the calibration pressing operation at a specific pressing pressure of from 500 to 1000 MPa.

### Claim 44 (depends on 37)

The process according to claim 37, which further comprises, before pressing, adding a pressing aid to the powder batch in an amount of from 0.1% by weight to 5% by weight, based on an amount of the powder batch.

### Claim 45 (depends on 37)

The process according to claim 37, wherein the powder batch including chromium and optionally other metals includes at least 90% by weight chromium, based on a total metal content.

### Claim 46 (depends on 27)

An interconnector for an electrochemical cell, the interconnector being produced or obtained from a powder metallurgical component according to claim 27.

### Claim 47

An interconnector for an electrochemical cell, the interconnector comprising:
a) at least one region having a chromium content of at least 80% by weight, said region having at least one of pores or oxide inclusions, and said region having a density of between 70% and 95% of a theoretical density;
b) a total oxygen content in said region of <20,000 μg per 1 g; and
c) a gas permeability in said region of <10 ml/min at a test pressure of 2.75 bar and a temperature of 20° C.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The interconnector according to claim 47, which further comprises a sum of said pores and said oxide inclusions at a cut surface through said region amounting to a number per unit area of at least 10,000 per mm2.

### Claim 49 (depends on 47)

The interconnector according to claim 47, wherein said chromium content is at least 90% by weight.

### Claim 50 (depends on 48)

The interconnector according to claim 48, wherein at least 90% of said pores and said oxide inclusions at said cut surface through said region have a maximum equivalent diameter of not more than 12 μm.

### Claim 51 (depends on 48)

The interconnector according to claim 48, wherein at least 90% of said pores and said oxide inclusions at said cut surface through said region have an area of not more than 100 μm2.

### Claim 52 (depends on 46)

An electrochemical cell, comprising an interconnector according to claim 46.