Solid metal-carbon matrix of metallofullerites and method of forming same
OwnerRobert C. Jobinventor
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Abstract
A metallic solid comprising an metal-carbon matrix of an allotropic metal and metallofullerites of the allotropic metal is disclosed, along with an associated method of forming the solid by interrupting and temporarily holding a metal-carbon melt at the point through the cooling curve at which the solidifying metal passes through the allotropic transformation stage for the metal defined by the overall proportion of allotropic metal and carbon in the melt.
Claims20
A metallic solid comprising a ferro-carbon matrix of iron and iron fullerites.
A metallic solid characterized by exceptional metallic properties even in the absence of alloying, said solid comprising:
- a ferro-carbon matrix of iron and iron fullerities in which carbon is present in an amount of from about 0.35 to about 2.25 percent by weight;
- and
- wherein the iron fullerites have structures selected from the group consisting of:
- individual iron atoms encapsulated in fullerene molecules;
- chains of fullerene molecules wrapped around a plurality of iron atoms;
- fullerence molecules in crystal lattices with iron atoms;
- and combinations of the same.
A method of forming a ferro-carbon steel having exceptional characteristics of wear, ductility combined with hardenability, and self-healing, the method comprising forming a metallic solid comprising a ferro-carbon matrix of metallofullerities by interupting and temporarily holding an iron-carbon melt at a point through the cooling curve at which the solidifying metal passes through the allotropic transformation stage for the metal defined by the overall proportion of iron and carbon in the melt.
A method of forming iron fullerites to produce a metallic solid having exceptional characteristics of wear, ductility combined with hardenability, and self-healing, the method comprising:
- heating a mixture of a higher carbon iron constituent and an amount of a lower carbon iron constituent wherein the amounts are sufficient for the mixture to have a desired carbon content to a temperature at which the higher carbon iron constituent would be liquidus and below the temperature at which the lower carbon iron constituent would be liquidus;
- and
- forming fullerenes in the mixture for further heating the mixture to, and temporarily holding the temperature within the temperature range of liquidus-solidus transformation for the mixture with the desired carbon content for a time sufficient for the carbon present to form fullerenes.
A method of forming iron fullerities to produce a metallic solid having exceptional characteristics of wear, ductility combined with hardenability, and self-healing, the method comprising:
- mixing a high carbon iron constituent and a lower carbon iron constituent in amounts sufficient to form a mixture with a desired carbon content;
- heating the mixture to a temperature at which the higher carbon iron constituent would be liquidus and below the temperature at which the lower carbon iron constituent would be liquidus;
- and
- forming fullerenes in the mixture by further heating the mixture to, and temporarily holding the temperature within, the temperature range of liquidus-solidus transformation for the mixture with the desired carbon content for a time sufficient for the carbon present to form fullerenes;
- and
- cooling the mixture to a metallic solid form.
A method of forming a ferro-carbon steel having ex ional characteristics of wear, ductility combined with hardenability, and self-healing, the method comprising:
- forming fullerenes in a mixture of a low carbon component introduced as a solid into a liquidus melt of a high carbon component in which the components are present in respective amounts sufficient to form a mixture with a desired carbon concentration by temporarily holding the mixture at a temperature at which the allotropic phase transformation begins for the mixture for a time sufficient for the carbon present to form fullerenes.
A method of forming a ferro-carbon steel having exceptional characteristics of wear, ductility combined with hardenability, and self-healing, the method comprising:
- melting a high carbon component to total liquidus;
- introducing a low carbon component as a solid into the high carbon component liquidus in an amount sufficient to form a mixture with a desired carbon concentration while temporarily holding the temperature lower than the temperature at which the low carbon component becomes liquidus;
- forming fullerenes in the mixture by temporarily holding the temperature at a temperature at which the allotropic phase transformation begins for the mixture for a time sufficient for the carbon present to form fullerenes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.