Methods for making preforms for composite formation processes
AssigneeLanxide Technology Company, LP
InventorsRatnesh Kumar Dwivedi, Thomas James Henderson, David Francis Friel
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Abstract
The present invention relates to novel methods for shaping a filler material into a porous preform and subsequently filling at least a portion of the porous preform with a second material to form a composite body. Specific aspects of the invention include novel combinations of materials to form the preform in combination with novel processing techniques for shaping the combinations of materials into a porous preform.
Claims32
A method for making a preform for use in composite formation processes, comprising:
- combining at least one low temperature organic binder and at least one high temperature binder and at least one filler to form a substantially homogeneous mixture with good flowability, wherein said at least one low temperature organic binder and said at least one high temperature binder have a combined weight of about 1-15% of the total weight of said substantially homogeneous mixture;
- placing said substantially homogeneous mixture into a mold having a cavity therein which corresponds substantially in shape to a desired shape of the preform;
- applying low pressure to said substantially homogeneous mixture to cause said substantially homogeneous mixture to at least partially fill said cavity of said mold;
- causing said at least one low temperature organic binder to at least partially set to result in the mixture assuming the shape of said cavity, thereby forming a shaped mixture;
- heating said shaped mixture to a temperature range to result in removal of said at least one low temperature organic binder and at least partial setting of said at least one high temperature binder;
- further heating said shaped mixture to cause at least partial sintering of said filler to occur to result in at least partially sintered preform;
- and
- providing said at least partially sintered preform for use in at least one composite formation process.
A method for making a preform for use in composite formation processes, comprising:
- combining at least one low temperature organic binder and at least one high temperature binder and at least one filler to form a substantially homogeneous mixture with good flowability, wherein said at least one low temperature organic binder and said at least one high temperature binder have a combined weight of about 1-15% of the total weight of said substantially homogeneous mixture;
- placing said mixture into a mold having a cavity therein which corresponds substantially in shape to a final desired shape of the preform, wherein said placing of said mixture into said mold comprises utilizing a sand molding or core making piece of equipment;
- applying low pressure to said substantially homogeneous mixture to cause said substantially homogeneous mixture to at least partially fill said cavity of said mold;
- causing said at least one low temperature organic binder to at least partially set to result in the mixture assuming the shape of said cavity, thereby forming a shaped mixture;
- heating said shaped mixture to a temperature range to result in removal of said at least one low temperature organic binder and at least partial setting of said at least one high temperature binder;
- further heating said shaped mixture to cause at least partial sintering of said filler to occur to result in a partially sintered preform;
- and
- providing said at least partially sintered preform for use in at least one composite formation process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.