Uchicago Argonne, LLC

The University of Chicago

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

U.S. Department of Energy

Beihai Ma

Uthamalingam Balachandran

Stephen E Dorris

Manoj Narayanan

Shanshan Liu

Tae H Lee

Sheng Chao

Carl William Berlin

Ralph S Taylor

Dean J Miller

David R Forrest

Manuel Ray Fairchild

M Ray Fairchild

Celine W K Wong

Celine Wk Wong

Christopher Klingshirn

Meiya Li

A method for preparing a covetic, nanocarbon-infused, metal composite material is described is herein. The method comprises heating a stirring molten mixture of a metal (e.g., Cu, Al, Ag, Au, Fe, Ni, Pt, Sn, Pb, Zn, Si, and the like) and carbon (e.g., graphite) at a temperature sufficient to maintain the mixture in the molten state in a reactor vessel, while passing an electric current through the molten mixture via at least two spaced electrodes submerged or partially submerged in the molten metal. Each of the electrodes has an electrical conductivity that is at least about 50 percent of the electrical conductivity of the molten mixture at the temperature of the molten mixture. Preferably, the conductivity of the electrodes is equal to or greater than the conductivity of the molten mixture.

Electrodes for making nanocarbon-infused metals and alloys

A method for making covetic metal-nanostructured carbon composites or compositions is described herein. This method is advantageous, in that it provides substantially oxygen-free covetic materials and allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method comprises introducing carbon into a molten metal in a heated reactor under low oxygen partial pressure, while passing an electric current through the molten metal. The reactor is heated at a temperature sufficient to form a network of nanostructured carbon within a matrix of the metal. After heating the covetic material is recovered from the reactor.

Method for making metal-nanostructured carbon composites

A method for making covetic metal-carbon composites or compositions by electron beam melt heating under vacuum (pressure &#x3c;10Torr) is described herein. This fabrication method is advantageous, in that it provides oxygen-free covetic materials in a process that allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method described herein also can be applied to produce multi-element-carbon composites within a metal or alloy matrix, including high melting temperature materials such as ceramic particles or prefabricated nano- or micro-structures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene compounds. The covetic reaction between metal and carbon takes place under the influence of flowing electrons through the melted metal-carbon precursor. This process creates strong bonding between nanocarbon structure and the metal elements in the melt.

Method for making metal-carbon composites and compositions

The invention provides a process for making ceramic film capacitors, the process comprising supplying a flexible substrate, depositing a first electrode on a first region of the flexible substrate, wherein the first electrode defines a first thickness, overlaying the first electrode with a dielectric film; and depositing a second electrode on the ceramic film, wherein the second electrode defines a second thickness. Also provided is a capacitor comprising flexible substrate, a first electrode deposited on said flexible substrate, a dielectric overlaying the first electrode; and a second electrode deposited on said dielectric.

Wound/stacked ceramic film capacitors, method for making ceramic film capacitors

The invention provides a stacked capacitor configuration comprising subunits each with a thickness of as low as 20 microns. Also provided is combination capacitor and printed wire board wherein the capacitor is encapsulated by the wire board. The invented capacitors are applicable in micro-electronic applications and high power applications, whether it is AC to DC or DC to AC, or DC to DC.

Multilayer capacitors, method for making multilayer capacitors

The invention provides a process for forming crack-free dielectric films on a substrate. The process comprises the application of a dielectric precursor layer of a thickness from about 0.3 &#x3bc;m to about 1.0 &#x3bc;m to a substrate. The deposition is followed by low temperature heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization step for each layer. The deposition, heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization are repeated until the dielectric film forms an overall thickness of from about 1.5 &#x3bc;m to about 20.0 &#x3bc;m and providing a final crystallization treatment to form a thick dielectric film. The process provides a thick crack-free dielectric film on a substrate, the dielectric forming a dense thick crack-free dielectric having an overall dielectric thickness of from about 1.5 &#x3bc;m to about 20.0 &#x3bc;m.

Method for fabrication of crack-free ceramic dielectric films

The present invention provides copper substrate coated with a lead-lanthanum-zirconium-titanium (PLZT) ceramic film, which is prepared by a method comprising applying a layer of a sol-gel composition onto a copper foil. The sol-gel composition comprises a precursor of a ceramic material suspended in 2-methoxyethanol. The layer of sol-gel is then dried at a temperature up to about 250&#xb0; C. The dried layer is then pyrolyzed at a temperature in the range of about 300 to about 450&#xb0; C. to form a ceramic film from the ceramic precursor. The ceramic film is then crystallized at a temperature in the range of about 600 to about 750&#xb0; C. The drying, pyrolyzing and crystallizing are performed under a flowing stream of an inert gas.

Method for fabrication of ceramic dielectric films on copper foils

The invention is directed to a process for making a dielectric ceramic film capacitor and the ceramic dielectric laminated capacitor formed therefrom, the dielectric ceramic film capacitors having increased dielectric breakdown strength. The invention increases breakdown strength by embedding a conductive oxide layer between electrode layers within the dielectric layer of the capacitors. The conductive oxide layer redistributes and dissipates charge, thus mitigating charge concentration and micro fractures formed within the dielectric by electric fields.

Method of making dielectric capacitors with increased dielectric breakdown strength

The invention provides for A method for producing pure phase strontium ruthenium oxide films, the method comprising solubilizing ruthenium-containing and strontium-containing compounds to create a mixture; subjecting the mixture to a first temperature above that necessary for forming RuOwhile simultaneously preventing formation of RuO; maintaining the first temperature for a time to remove organic compounds from the mixture, thereby forming a substantially dry film; and subjecting the film to a second temperature for time sufficient to crystallize the film. Also provided is pure phase material comprising strontium ruthenium oxide wherein the material contains no RuO.

Method for producing thin film electrodes

A lead-lanthanum-zirconium-titanate (PLZT) capacitor on a substrate formed of glass. The first metallization layer is deposited on a top side of the substrate to form a first electrode. The dielectric layer of PLZT is deposited over the first metallization layer. The second metallization layer deposited over the dielectric layer to form a second electrode. The glass substrate is advantageous as glass is compatible with an annealing process used to form the capacitor.

PLZT capacitor on glass substrate

The present invention provides a method for fabricating a ceramic film on a copper foil. The method comprises applying a layer of a sol-gel composition onto a copper foil. The sol-gel composition comprises a precursor of a ceramic material suspended in 2-methoxyethanol. The layer of sol-gel is then dried at a temperature up to about 250&#xb0; C. The dried layer is then pyrolyzed at a temperature in the range of about 300 to about 450&#xb0; C. to form a ceramic film from the ceramic precursor. The ceramic film is then crystallized at a temperature in the range of about 600 to about 750&#xb0; C. The drying, pyrolyzing and crystallizing are performed under a flowing stream of an inert gas. In some embodiments an additional layer of the sol-gel composition is applied onto the ceramic film and the drying, pyrolyzing and crystallizing steps are repeated for the additional layer to build up a thicker ceramic layer on the copper foil. The process can be repeated one or more times if desired.

The invention provides a process for forming crack-free dielectric films on a substrate. The process comprise the application of a dielectric precursor layer of a thickness from about 0.3 &#x3bc;m to about 1.0 &#x3bc;m to a substrate. The deposition is followed by low temperature heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization step for each layer. The deposition, heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization are repeated until the dielectric film forms an overall thickness of from about 1.5 &#x3bc;m to about 20.0 &#x3bc;m and providing a final crystallization treatment to form a thick dielectric film. Also provided was a thick crack-free dielectric film on a substrate, the dielectric forming a dense thick crack-free dielectric having an overall dielectric thickness of from about 1.5 &#x3bc;m to about 20.0 &#x3bc;m.

A layered article of manufacture and a method of manufacturing same is disclosed. A substrate has a biaxially textured MgO crystalline layer having the c-axes thereof inclined with respect to the plane of the substrate deposited thereon. A layer of one or more of YSZ or YOand then a layer of CeOis deposited on the MgO. A crystalline superconductor layer with the c-axes thereof normal to the plane of the substrate is deposited on the CeOlayer. Deposition of the MgO layer on the substrate is by the inclined substrate deposition method developed at Argonne National Laboratory. Preferably, the MgO has the c-axes thereof inclined with respect to the normal to the substrate in the range of from about 10&#xb0; to about 40&#xb0; and YBCO superconductors are used.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Beihai Ma