# US 7,465,365 B1 · Method for making materials having artificially dispersed nano-size phases and articles made therewith > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,465,365 B1 - Document ID: US7465365B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/150,689 - Filed: 2005-06-08 - Published: 2008-11-27 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2002-07-23 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Inventors: Thomas Martin Angeliu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465365B1 ## CPC - C22C 1/1047: {by mixing and casting liquid metal matrix composites} - C22C 1/02: by melting {(C22C1/1036 takes precedence)} - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER ## Abstract A method for forming a nanocomposite material and articles made with the nanocomposite material are presented. The method comprises providing a molten material; providing a nano-sized material, the nano-sized material being substantially inert with respect to the molten material; introducing the nano-sized material into the molten material; dispersing the nano-sized material within the molten material using at least one dispersion technique selected from the group consisting of agitating the molten material using ultrasonic energy to disperse the nano-sized material within the molten material, introducing at least one active element into the molten material to enhance wetting of the nano-sized material by the molten material, and coating the nano-sized material with a wetting agent to promote wetting of the molten metal on the nano-sized material; and solidifying the molten material to form a solid nanocomposite material, the nanocomposite material comprising a dispersion of the nano-sized material within a solid matrix. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article manufactured by a method, the method comprising providing a nanocomposite material, wherein providing said nanocomposite material comprises providing a molten material; providing a nano-sized material, said nano-sized material being substantially inert with respect to said molten material; introducing said nano-sized material into said molten material; dispersing said nano-sized material within said molten material using at least one dispersion technique selected from the group consisting of agitating said molten material using ultrasonic energy to disperse said nano-sized material within said molten material, introducing at least one active element into said molten material to enhance wetting of said nano-sized material by said molten material, and coating said nano-sized material with a wetting agent to promote wetting of said molten metal on said nano-sized material; solidifying said molten material to form a solid nanocomposite material, said nanocomposite material comprising a dispersion of said nano-sized material within a solid matrix, wherein said solid matrix comprises a directionally solidified material or a single crystal material; and forming said nanocomposite material into said article. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein said at least one active element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, yttrium, magnesium, hafnium, oxygen, sulfur, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein said molten material comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, titanium, tin, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein said nano-sized material comprises at least one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein at least about 50 percent by volume of said nano-sized material has a length in at least one dimension of less than about 100 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5, wherein said length in said at least one dimension is less than about 30 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein said dispersion of said nano-sized particles comprises an average inter-particle spacing of less than about 100 nm. ### Claim 8 An article comprising: a nanocomposite material, said nano composite material comprising a dispersion of nano-sized material within a solid matrix, wherein said matrix comprises a directionally solidified matrix or a single crystal solid matrix, said dispersion having a size distribution wherein a size range of said distribution is less than about 20% of a mean particle size of said distribution. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said size range is less than about 10% of said mean particle size of said distribution. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said matrix comprises at least one active element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, yttrium, magnesium, hafnium, oxygen, sulfur. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said matrix comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, titanium, tin, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said nano-sized material comprises at least one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said nano-sized material further comprises a coating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The article of claim 13, wherein said coating comprises one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said dispersion of said nano-sized particles comprises an average inter-particle spacing of less than about 100 nm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein said nano-sized material is present in said nanocomposite material in an amount of up to about 40 volume percent into said molten material. ### Claim 17 An article comprising: a nanocomposite material, wherein said nanocomposite material comprises a matrix having a microstructure selected from the group consisting of a directionally solidified microstructure and a single crystal microstructure, and a dispersion of nano-sized material within said matrix. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein said matrix comprises at least one active element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, yttrium, magnesium, hafnium, oxygen, sulfur. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein said matrix comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, titanium, tin, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein said nano-sized material comprises at least one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein said nano-sized material further comprises a coating. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The article of claim 21, wherein said coating comprises one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein said dispersion of said nano-sized particles comprises an average inter-particle spacing of less than about 100 nm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein said nano-sized material is present in said nanocomposite material in an amount of up to about 40 volume percent into said molten material. ### Claim 25 An article comprising: a nanocomposite material, said nanocomposite material comprising a dispersion of nano-sized material within a solidified matrix material, wherein said matrix comprises a directionally solidified matrix or a single crystal solid matrix, wherein said dispersion of nano-sized material has an average particle size of up to about 100 nm and an interparticle spacing of up to about 100 nm. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The article of claim 25, wherein said matrix comprises at least one active element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, yttrium, magnesium, hafnium, oxygen, sulfur. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The article of claim 25, wherein said matrix comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, titanium, tin, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The article of claim 25, wherein said nano-sized material comprises at least one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The article of claim 25, wherein said nano-sized material further comprises a coating. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The article of claim 29, wherein said coating comprises one of a ceramic, an intermetallic, and a metal. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The article of claim 25, wherein said nano-sized material is present in said nanocomposite material in an amount of up to about 40 volume percent into said molten material.