Metal matrix composite
AssigneeAlyn Corporation
InventorRobin A. Carden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved metal matrix composite utilizes boron carbide as a ceramic additive to a base material metal. The base material metal is aluminum, magnesium, or titanium, or an alloy thereof, provided in powder form with the balance of the material comprising various trace metals such as chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, silicon, titanium, and zinc. The boron carbide powder comprises 10 to 30% by weight of the metal matrix composition. There is at least one other metal additive. The compositions are useful in a variety of applications where lightweight, strength, stiffness, hardness, and low density are desirable. The compositions are extrudable and weldable.
Claims15
A metal matrix composite for structural applications, comprising:
- a base material metal and boron carbide in a ratio of approximately between 3 and 10 to 1 by weight, the boron carbide being substantially homogeneously distributed among the metal, forming close grain boundaries therewith;
- and
- less than about 3.0% by weight of at least one metal having an intermetallic phase temperature lower than the melting point of the base material metal, the at least one metal providing a chelating opportunity for the base material metal, wherein
- the composite is extrudable and weldable, and
- the composite undergoes yield by plastic deformation without brittle fracture.
A metal matrix composite comprising,
- a base material metal and boron carbide in a ratio of approximately between 3 and 10 to 1 by weight, the boron carbide being substantially homogeneously distributed among the metal, forming close grain boundaries therewith, wherein the base material metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of magnesium and alloys of magnesium;
- and
- less than about 3.0% by weight of at least one metal having an intermetallic phase temperature lower than the melting point of the base material metal, the at least one metal providing a chelating opportunity for the base material metal,
- wherein the composite is extrudable and weldable.
An extrudable and weldable metal matrix composite for structural applications, formed by the process of:
- a) blending powders of a base material metal, boron carbide, and at least one metal having an intermetallic phase temperature below the melting point of the base material metal, wherein the boron carbide constitutes about 10-30% of the powders by weight and the at least one metal constitutes less than about 3.0% of the powders by weight, the at least one metal providing a chelating opportunity for the base material metal;
- b) degassing the blended powders;
- c) isopressing the blended powders at a pressure of at least 65,000 psi;
- d) heating the isopressed powders up to at least 625 degrees Centigrade over a selected period of time;
- e) configuring the isopressed and sintered powders to form a composite material;
- f) heat treating the composite material to form a composite which yields by plastic deformation without brittle fracture;
- and
- g) at least one of extruding the composite material and welding the composite material.
A metal matrix composite formed by the process of:
- a) blending powders of a base material metal, boron carbide, and at least one metal having an intermetallic phase temperature below the melting point of the base material metal, wherein the boron carbide constitutes about 10-30% of the powders by weight and the at least one metal constitutes less than about 3.0% of the powders by weight, the at least one metal additive providing a chelating opportunity for the base material metal, wherein the base material metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of magnesium and alloys of magnesium;
- b) degassing the blended powders;
- c) isopressing the blended powders at a pressure of at least 65,000 psi;
- d) heating the isopressed powders up to at least 625 degrees Centigrade over a selected period of time;
- e) configuring the isopressed and sintered powders to a desired shape;
- and
- f) heat treating the desired shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.