Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Hongseok Choi

Xiaochun Li

David J Weiss

Daniel Earl Hoefert

Woo-hyun Cho

Ben Peter Slater

Noe Gaudencio Alba-Baena

Wayne Cai

Jeffrey A Abell

Lianyi Chen

Jiaquan Xu

Dake Wang

Arindom Datta

Yong Yang

Michael Peter De Cicco

Hang Li

Jingzhou Zhao

Apparatus and methods for industrial-scale production of metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) are provided. The apparatus and methods can be used for the batch production of an MMNC in a volume of molten metal housed within the cavity of a production chamber. Within the volume of molten metal, a flow is created which continuously carries agglomerates of nanoparticles, which have been introduced into the molten metal, through a cavitation zone formed in a cavitation cell housed within the production chamber.

Methods for industrial-scale production of metal matrix nanocomposites

Nanomaterials are incorporated within a material, such as within a metal-based material. As may be implemented in accordance with various embodiments, nanomaterials are introduced to a metal-based material in a liquid state, and the metal-based material and nanomaterials are cooled from the liquid state to a viscous state. The metal-based material is stirred in the viscous state to disperse the nanomaterials therein, and the metal-based material is used in the viscous state to maintain dispersion of the nanomaterials as the metal-based material cools.

Nanomaterial-based methods and apparatuses

Welding wires and methods for welding metal work pieces using the welding wires are provided. The welding wires are composite materials comprising a metal alloy and high temperature nanoparticles dispersed in the metal alloy.

Nanocomposite welding wires

Methods of forming metal matrix nanocomposites are provided. The methods include the steps of introducing a master metal matrix nanocomposite into a molten metal at a temperature above the melting temperature of the master metal matrix nanocomposite, allowing at least a portion of the master metal matrix nanocomposite to mix with the molten metal and, then, solidifying the molten metal to provide a second metal matrix nanocomposite.

Methods of producing nanoparticle reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites from master nanocomposites

Apparatus and methods for industrial-scale production of metal matrix nanocomposites

A vibration welding system includes an anvil, a welding horn, a thin film sensor, and a process controller. The anvil and horn include working surfaces that contact a work piece during the welding process. The sensor measures a control value at the working surface. The measured control value is transmitted to the controller, which controls the system in part using the measured control value. The thin film sensor may include a plurality of thermopiles and thermocouples which collectively measure temperature and heat flux at the working surface. A method includes providing a welder device with a slot adjacent to a working surface of the welder device, inserting the thin film sensor into the slot, and using the sensor to measure a control value at the working surface. A process controller then controls the vibration welding system in part using the measured control value.

Vibration welding system with thin film sensor

Fabricating a microelectronics grade metal substrate comprises forming the metal substrate on a sacrificial substrate. An adhesion layer can be deposited on or over the surface of the sacrificial substrate. A seed layer of the metal can be deposited on or over the adhesion layer. The metal material can be deposited on the seed layer by electroplating or other low-temperature, low-stress process to form a microelectronics-grade metal substrate. Thin film sensors and/or other microelectronic devices, followed by appropriate insulating layer(s), may be fabricated on or over the sacrificial substrate before forming the metal substrate. The sacrificial silicon substrate can then be etched away, leaving the microelectronics-grade metal substrate, and possibly the microelectronics device. Another insulating layer(s), followed by another adhesion layer, another seed layer and additional amounts of the material forming the metal substrate can then be deposited over the now-exposed microelectronics device to encapsulate it within a metal shell.

Microelectronics grade metal substrate, related metal-embedded devices and methods for fabricating same

An apparatus and method of dispensing small-scale powders for a variety of applications, including, for example, fabricating a three-dimensional heterogeneous small-scale device, includes using a feed mechanism that causes motion of the powder particles and the steps of depositing fine heterogeneous materials (such as dry powders and biological materials) towards a substrate. The depositing step preferably includes providing a feed mechanism having an input to receive the material, an output, and a source of ultrasonic vibration to impart a torsional force on the material so as to precisely discharge the material from the output. To improve particle flowability, a cooling system is provided to cool the source, generally above a threshold input voltage.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Hongseok Choi