Method and System for Fabricating Bulk Metallic Glass Sheets
OwnerJan Schroers, Ze Liu +6inventors
InventorsJan Schroers, Ze Liu, Michael Kanik, Wen Chen, Punnathat Bordeenithikasem, Rodrigo Miguel Ojeda Mota, Jittisa Ketkaew, Ning Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention describes a method and hardware of how to deform metallic glasses under low force and stabilized conditions to fabricate thin and large area metallic glass sheets. It is based on a combination of thermoplastic rolling and stretching and typically combined with a pre-heating method. The predominant mode of deformation is dependent on the BMG conditions such as thickness, viscosity, and crystallization time.
Claims46
A method of fabricating a bulk metallic glass sheet, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) preheating a bulk metallic glass feedstock to a temperature sufficient to soften the bulk metallic glass feedstock but that does not significantly contribute to a consumed crystallization time of the bulk metallic glass;
- and
- b) thermoplastically rolling the pre-heated bulk metallic glass feedstock between a set of heated rollers maintained at a processing temperature of the bulk metallic glass;
- and
- c) stretching the bulk metallic glass sheet after the bulk metallic glass sheet exits the set of heated rollers;
- wherein the bulk metallic glass feedstock is reduced in thickness to produce a bulk metallic glass sheet;
- and
- wherein processing conditions during steps a) to c) are such that a Reynolds number Re<10−3 of the bulk metallic glass is maintained.
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
A system for fabricating a bulk metallic glass sheet, the system comprising:
- a) a set of pre-heating plates, wherein the set of pre-heating plates are capable of sandwiching a bulk metallic glass feedstock therebetween to preheat the bulk metallic glass feedstock to a temperature sufficient to soften the bulk metallic glass feedstock but that does not significantly contribute to a consumed crystallization time of the bulk metallic glass;
- b) a set of rotatable heated rollers maintained at a processing temperature of the bulk metallic glass, wherein as the set of heated rollers rotates, the heated rollers thermoplastically roll the bulk metallic glass feedstock received from the step of pre-heating plates therebetween to thin the bulk metallic glass feedstock into a bulk metallic glass sheet, wherein the set of heated rollers comprise a hard metal that is sufficiently strong at the processing temperature of the bulk metallic glass;
- and
- c) a stretching mechanism capable of stretching the rolled bulk metallic glass sheet exiting the set of heated rollers under controlled velocity.
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.