Copper infiltrated ferro-phosphorous powder metal
AssigneesNtn Corporation, Metco Industries, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Victor Alcini, Thomas George Fleming
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention a structural member is formed by iron-phosphorous alloy powder having about 0.01 wt % to 1.2 wt % of phosphorous by weight of the powder. The powder is then pressed to the desired matrix density and copper infiltrated such that copper is present in the amount of 1.96 wt % to 23.08 wt %, by weight of the weight of the structural member. The final density of the structured member is in a range of 6.1 to 8.1 g/cc. The structural member formed using the sintered powder metal of the present invention has superior elongation (as much as 10.3% elongation), impact strength (159 N-m charpy unnotched), tensile strength (530 MPa), and modulus (166 GPa) as compared to standard density powder metal.
Claims33
A copper infiltrated iron-phosphorous powder metal article, the article having a composition comprising:
- an iron-phosphorous metal powder wherein the iron-phosphorous powder metal is compacted to a matrix, wherein the matrix has a density in the range of 6.0 to 7.2 g/cc;
- copper in the range of 1.96 wt % to 23.08 wt % of the article wherein the copper is infiltrated into the matrix;
- and
- wherein the article after copper infiltration has a final density in the range of 6.1 to 8.1 g/cc;
- and
- wherein an effective amount of phosphorous is present in the iron-phosphorous powder metal to facilitate the infiltration of the copper into the matrix.
A powder metal structure, the structure comprising:
- a copper infiltrated iron phosphorous powder metal composite having a composition of:
- an iron-phosphorous metal powder having phosphorous in the range of 0.01 wt % to 1.2 wt %, not more than 0.50 wt % of carbon, and balance substantially iron by weight of the iron-phosphorous metal powder;
- wherein the iron-phosphorous metal powder is compacted to a matrix, wherein the matrix has a density in the range of 6.5 to 7.0 g/cc;
- copper in the range of 2.0 wt % to 30.0% wt % of the matrix wherein the copper is placed in contact with the matrix and infiltrated into the matrix;
- wherein the amount of phosphorus in the structure after copper is infiltrated into the matrix in the range of 0.010 wt % to 1.000 wt % of the structure;
- wherein the amount of copper after copper is infiltrated into the matrix is in the range of 1.96 wt % to 23.08 wt % of the structure;
- wherein the structure has a density in the range of 6.1 to 8.1 g/cc.
A process for forming copper infiltrated iron-phosphorous powder metal structural member the structural member having a predetermined shape, comprising the steps of:
- blending a phosphorous powder with an iron based metal powder to form a iron-phosphorous powder metal, the phosphorous powder being present in the range of 0.01% to 1.2% by weight of the iron-phosphorous powder metal;
- compacting the iron-phosphorous powder metal into a preform having a density in the range of 6.0 and 7.2 g/cc;
- infiltrating copper into the preform, the copper after infiltration is present in an amount in the range of 1.96 wt % to 23.08 wt % of the structure;
- and
- wherein the structural member after copper infiltration has a density in a range of 6.1 g/cc to 8.1 g/cc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.