# US 8,465,692 B2 · Sodium/molybdenum composite metal articles and methods for producing metal articles

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- Number: US 8,465,692 B2
- Document ID: US8465692B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/038,578
- Filed: 2011-03-02
- Published: 2011-06-23
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2008-01-11
- Assignees: Climax Engineered Materials, LLC
- Applicants: Naresh Goel; Carl Cox; Dave Honecker; Eric Smith; Chris Michaluk; Adam DeBoskey; Sunil Chandra Jha
- Inventors: Naresh Goel; Carl Cox; Dave Honecker; Eric Smith; Chris Michaluk; Adam DeBoskey; Sunil Chandra Jha
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465692B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/311: {for photovoltaic cells}
- B22F 3/15: Hot isostatic pressing
- C23C 4/08: containing only metal elements (C23C4/073 takes precedence)
- C23C 14/14: Metallic material, boron or silicon
- C23C 14/3414: {Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy}
- H10F 10/167: comprising Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CdS/CuInSe2 [CIS] heterojunction photovoltaic cells
- H10F 77/126: {comprising only Group I-III-VI chalcopyrite materials, e.g. CuInSe2, CuGaSe2 or CuInGaSe2 [CIGS]}
- H10F 77/1694: {the films including Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CIS or CIGS}
- H10F 77/211: {for photovoltaic cells}
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- Y02E 10/541: CuInSe2 material PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- Y10T 428/12: All metal or with adjacent metals
- Y10T 428/31678: Of metal
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- 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
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method for producing a metal article may include: Producing a supply of a composite metal powder by: providing a supply of molybdenum metal powder; providing a supply of a sodium compound; combining the molybdenum metal powder and the sodium compound with a liquid to form a slurry; feeding the slurry into a stream of hot gas; and recovering the composite metal powder; and consolidating the composite metal powder to form the metal article, the metal article comprising a sodium/molybdenum metal matrix. Also disclosed is a metal article produced accordance with this method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a metal article, comprising:
producing a supply of a composite metal powder by:
providing a supply of molybdenum metal powder;
providing a supply of sodium molybdate;
combining said molybdenum metal powder and said sodium molybdate with a liquid to form a slurry, said sodium molybdate being added to said molybdenum metal powder in an amount comprising from about 3% by weight to about 15% by weight sodium molybdate before being combined with said liquid;
feeding said slurry into a stream of hot gas to produce the composite metal powder; and
recovering the composite metal powder, said composite metal powder comprising from about 0.2% by weight to about 3.5% by weight retained sodium; and
consolidating said composite metal powder to form the metal article, said metal article comprising a sodium/molybdenum metal matrix.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said consolidating said composite metal powder comprises cold isostatic pressing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein consolidating comprises pressing said composite metal powder into a shape and sintering the shape.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein said sintering is conducted in a hydrogen atmosphere.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein said sintering is conducted at a temperature of less than about 825° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein consolidating comprises hot isostatic pressing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein said hot isostatic pressing is conducted at a temperature of at least about 900° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising sintering the metal article after said consolidating.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein said sintering is conducted at a temperature of less than about 825° C.

### Claim 10

A method of producing a metal article, comprising:
providing a supply of a sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder comprising a substantially homogeneous dispersion of sodium and molybdenum sub-particles that are fused together to form individual particles of said composite metal powder, said sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder comprising from about 0.2% by weight to about 3.5% by weight retained sodium; and
consolidating said sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder to form said metal article, said metal article comprising a sodium/molybdenum metal matrix.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein said consolidating said sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of cold isostatic pressing and hot isostatic pressing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein said consolidating said sodium/molybdenum composite metal powder comprises pressing said composite metal powder into a shape and sintering the shape.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein said sintering is conducted in a hydrogen atmosphere.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said sintering is conducted at a temperature of less than about 825° C.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the oxygen content of said metal article is less than or equal to about 6% by weight.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein said metal article comprises a sputter target.