FIBER-REINFORCED METAL-, CERAMIC-, and METAL/CERAMIC-MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND METHODS THEREFOR
AssigneeArris Composites Inc.
InventorsRiley REESE, Ethan ESCOWITZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for forming extrudate filament, which consist essentially of fiber, organic binder, and metal and/or ceramic. The extrudate filament can be spooled, or used to form preforms, and/or assemblages of preforms. In further methods, the extrudate filament and/or preforms can be used to fabricate fiber-reinforced metal-matrix or ceramic-matrix or metal and ceramic matrix composite parts, which consist essentially of fiber in a matrix of metal, or ceramic, or metal and ceramic, respectively.
Claims24
A method comprising:
- forming an extrudate filament by:
- (a) tensioning and spreading apart a plurality of fibers;
- (b) melting a thermoplastic binder;
- (c) applying at least one of metal powder and ceramic powder (“powder”), and the melted thermoplastic binder, to the plurality of fibers;
- and
- (d) cooling, to a temperature below a temperature at which the thermoplastic binder melts, the fibers having the applied powder and thermoplastic binder.
A method comprising:
- forming an extrudate filament, the extrudate filament consisting essentially of a plurality of fibers, organic binder, and at least one of metal particles and ceramic particles (“particles”);
- forming a layup in a mold, the mold defining the shape of a part, wherein the layup includes extrudate filaments that have been sized or shaped and sized;
- exposing the layup to heat and pressure, thereby forming a green body having the shape of the part;
- heating the green body to temperatures sufficient to debind the binder and sinter the particles, thereby forming a part consisting essentially of the fibers in a matrix of:
- the metal, or the ceramic, or the metal and ceramic.
A composition comprising extrudate filament, the extrudate filament including:
- a plurality of continuous fibers;
- a thermoplastic resin disposed on the fibers;
- and
- one of metal particles, ceramic particles, or metal and ceramic particles disposed on the fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.