University of Michigan

Fengchao Liu

Pingsha Dong

Wei Lu

Alan Taub

A method of joining a first component and a second component that are made of dissimilar metals. In some embodiments, the method comprises applying friction between the first component and the second component sufficient to generate a layer of quasi-liquid metal and produce shear localization within the quasi-liquid metal at a dissimilar metal interface between the first component and the second component and terminating the application of friction at a predetermined time after generation of the quasi-liquid metal. In some embodiments, the method comprises applying amorphous metal between at least a portion of the first component and the second component at a dissimilar metal interface, heating the amorphous metal to a temperature between its glass transition temperature (T) and the lowest melting temperature of the components involved, and applying compression pressure to generate thermoplastic deformation of the amorphous metal.

Methods of joining dissimilar metals without detrimental intermetallic compounds

A method of directly joining a polymer to a metal along a joint interface through the formation of C—O-M chemical bonds, where M represents an element in the metal to be joined. The method includes heating the metal to a predetermined temperature above a glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than a flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than a metal melting temperature of the metal; and applying force to the joint interface of the metal and the polymer to generate intimate atomic contact between the metal and the polymer to create C—O-M chemical bonds between the metal and the polymer.

High-speed polymer-to-metal direct joining system and method

Methods of producing polymer-metal hybrid components that are bonded by C—O-M bonds at the interface using at least one of the hot pressing, rolling, and injection molding methods to create chemical bond formation conditions at the polymer and metal interface. When the thermal cycle and compressive pressure specified herein is combinationally created at the polymer and metal interfaced, strong C—O-M bonds forms at the interface and strongly bonds the metal and polymer together through the reaction carbonyl groups (C═O) in polymer and the metal surface. For polymers lacking enough carbonyl groups, new functional groups can be in-situ generation through introducing distributed air pockets at the polymer-metal interface for forming 3-dimensional distributed C—O-M bonds at the interface.

Methods and process for producing polymer-metal hybrid components bonded by C—O-M bonds

A method of directly joining a polymer to a metal along a joint interface through the formation of C&#x2014;O-M chemical bonds, where M represents an element in the metal to be joined. The method includes heating the metal to a predetermined temperature above a glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than a flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than a metal melting temperature of the metal; physically contacting at least one of the metal and the polymer; and applying compression pressure to the joint interface of the metal and the polymer when the metal is above the glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than the flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than the metal melting temperature of the metal to generate intimate atomic contact between the metal and the polymer to create C&#x2014;O-M chemical bonds between the metal and the polymer.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Fengchao Liu