Osprey Metals Limited

James Burnett Forrest

Jeffrey S Coombs

Alan George Leatham

Charles R Pratt

Andrew Josef Widawski Ogilvy

Luis Gerardo Elias

Robert Ross

A method of producing a silicon based alloy is described which comprises melting a silicon alloy containing greater than 50 wt. % silicon and preferably including aluminium. The melted alloy is then inert gas atomized to produce powder or a spray formed deposit in which the silicon forms a substantially continuous phase made up of fine, randomly oriented crystals in the microstructure. The alloy produced by the method has particularly useful application in electronics packaging materials and a typical example comprises an alloy of 70 wt. % silicon and 30 wt. % aluminium. Such an alloy is an engineering material which, for example, is machinable.

Silicon alloys for electronic packaging

A method and apparatus for the production of a deposit such as a bar (1) is provided. The deposit has a longitudinal outer surface (2) and a front face deposition surface (3). The spray deposition comprises atomized droplets produced by outer and inner sprays (4 and 5). The outer and inner sprays (4 and 5) are both directed such that, during deposition, a substantial proportion of droplets from both sprays are deposited on the front face (3) of the forming deposit. The inner spray (5) has a higher gas to metal ratio than the outer spray allowing an increase of both deposition and final product yield.

Production of spray deposits

Device for introducing particulate material

Growing community of inventors

Swansea, United Kingdom

James Burnett Forrest