Lanxide Technology Company, LP

Other

Marc S Newkirk

Andrew W Urquhart

Michael K Aghajanian

Robert C Kantner

H Daniel Lesher

Danny R White

Christopher R Kennedy

Harry Richard Zwicker

Alan S Nagelberg

Ratnesh K Dwivedi

Michael A Rocazella

Mark Gordon Mortenson

Jerry G Weinstein

William B Johnson

Gerhard H Schiroky

Adam J Gesing

Robert A Rapp

Gregory E Hannon

Allyn L McCormick

Vilupanur Alwar Ravi

Robert J Wiener

Stanley J Luszcz

Steven F Dizio

Jeffrey R Ramberg

Shirley L Zwicker

Terry D Claar

Alexander Lukacs, Iii

James A Jensen

John T Burke

Eugene S Park

Harold D Lesher

David K Creber

Jonathan Wayne Hinton

Jack A Kuszyk

John P Biel, Jr

Steven D Keck

Paul V Kelsey

Eric M Klier

Paul W Niskanen

Alvin P Gerk

Craig B Shumaker

Peter M Engelgau

Cheng-Tsin Lee

Robert L Simpson

Daniel J Frydrych

Robert A Wolffe

John Peter Biel

Method of modifying the properties of a metal matrix composite body

A method of making self-supporting ceramic composite structures having filler embedded therein includes infiltrating a permeable mass of filler with polycrystalline material comprising an oxidation reaction product obtained by oxidation of a parent metal such as aluminum. The self-supporting ceramic composite structure optionally contains therein non-oxidized constituents of the parent metal. The structure is formed by placing a parent metal adjacent to a permeable filler and heating the assembly to melt the parent metal and provide a molten body of parent metal which is contacted with a suitable oxidant. Within a certain temperature region and optionally, aided by one or more dopants in or on the parent metal, molten parent metal will migrate through previously formed oxidation reaction product into contact with the oxidant, causing the oxidation reaction product to grow so as to embed the adjacent filler and provide the composite structure. The parent metal may be provided as a body of metal placed in contact with an exterior surface of the permeable mass. Alternatively, the parent metal may be placed adjacent to the filler material by admixing a plurality of discrete bodies of parent metal (e.g., particulate metal) into the permeable mass. In this embodiment, the growth of oxidation reaction product still embeds the adjacent filler material without substantial change in the size or shape of the permeable mass, but does not result in the creation of voids at the former locations of the bodies of parent metal.

Methods of making composite ceramic articles having embedded filler

This invention relates to the discovery of organometallic ceramic precursor binders used to fabricate shaped bodies by different techniques. Exemplary shape making techniques which utilize hardenable, liquid, organometallic, ceramic precursor binders include the fabrication of negatives of parts to be made (e.g., sand molds and sand cores for metalcasting, etc.), as well as utilizing ceramic precursor binders to make shapes directly (e.g., brake shoes, brake pads, clutch parts, grinding wheels, polymer concrete, refractory patches and liners, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, this invention relates to thermosettable, liquid ceramic precursors which provide suitable-strength sand molds and sand cores at very low binder levels and which, upon exposure to molten metalcasting exhibit low emissions toxicity as a result of their high char yields of ceramic upon exposure to heat. Another preferred embodiment of the invention involves the fabrication of preforms used in the formation of composite articles.

Methods for fabricating shapes by use of organometallic, ceramic

Method for in situ tailoring the component of ceramic articles

The present invention relates to the formation of a macrocomposite body by spontaneously infiltrating a permeable mass of filler material or a preform with molten matrix metal and bonding the spontaneously infiltrated material to at least one second material such as a ceramic or ceramic containing body and/or a metal or metal containing body. Particularly, an infiltration enhancer and/or infiltration enhancer precursor and/or infiltrating atmosphere are in communication with a filler material or a preform, at least at some point during the process, which permits molten matrix metal to spontaneously infiltrate the filler material or preform. Moreover, prior to infiltration, the filler material or preform is placed into contact with at least a portion of a second material such that after infiltation of the filler material or preform, the infiltrated material is bonded to the second material, thereby forming a macrocomposite body.

Macrocomposite bodies

The present invention relates to a novel process for forming thin metal matrix composite bodies. Particularly, an infiltration enhancer and/or an infiltrating atmosphere are in communication with a filler material or preform, at least at some point during the process, which permits molten matrix metal to spontaneously infiltrate the filler material or preform. Such spontaneous infiltration occurs without the application of any pressure or vacuum. In an embodiment of the present invention, the filler material may be sprayed upon a thin sheet of matrix metal. Alternatively, the filler material may be shaped via tape casting, slip casting, etc. to provide a thin preform. In another embodiment of the present invention, a body of matrix metal may be coated with a filler material such that upon spontaneous infiltration a metal matrix composite body is produced which inversely replicates the configuration of the original body of matrix metal. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of thin tape cast preforms which are segregated by a barrier material (e.g., graphite foil) may be infiltrated with a matrix metal during a single spontaneous infiltration process.

Methods for making thin metal matrix composite bodies and articles

The present invention relates to a novel method for forming metal matrix composite bodies and novel metal matrix composite bodies produced thereby. Particularly, a polycrystalline oxidation reaction product of a parent metal and an oxidant is first formed. The polycrystalline oxidation reaction product is thereafter comminuted into an appropriately sized filler material which can be placed into a suitable container or formed into a preform. The filler material or preform of comminuted polycrystalline oxidation reaction product is thereafter placed into contact with a matrix metal alloy in the presence of an infiltration enhancer, and/or an infiltration enhancer precursor and/or an infiltrating atmosphere, at least at some point during the process, whereupon the matrix metal alloy spontaneously infiltrates the filler material or preform. As a result of utilizing comminuted or crushed polycrystalline oxidation reaction product, enhanced infiltration (e.g., enhanced rate or amount) is achieved. Moreover, novel metal matrix composite bodies are produced.

Metal matrix composite bodies utilizing a crushed polycrystalline

Thin metal matrix composites and production methods

The present invention broadly relates to novel complex oxidation reaction products such as perovskite bodies, including shaped complex oxidation reaction products. This invention also includes complex oxidation reaction products which exhibit superconducting properties.

Complex perovskite oxidation reaction products

The present invention relates to modifying the properties of a metal matrix composite body by a post formation process treatment and/or a substantially contiguous modification treatment. The post formation process treatment may be applicable to a variety of metal matrix composite bodies produced by various techniques, and is particularly applicable to modifying the properties of a metal matrix composite body produced by a spontaneous infiltration technique. The substantially contiguous modification process may also be used primarily in conjunction with metal matrix composite bodies produced according to a spontaneous infiltration technique. Particularly, at least a portion of the matrix metal of the metal matrix composite body and/or the filler material of the metal matrix composite body is modified or altered during and/or after the formation process.

The invention comprises a method of making self-supporting ceramic and ceramic composite structures by the oxidation reaction of a body of molten parent metal precursor with a vapor-phase oxidant to form an oxidation reaction product. This reaction or growth is continued to form a thick, self-supporting ceramic or ceramic composite body. The body is recovered and in a separate subsequent operation, at least a portion of a surface is coated with one or more materials in order to effect desired changes in the properties of the surface, e.g., hardness, corrosion resistance.

Production of ceramic and ceramic-metal composite articles with surface

A method of producing a self-supporting ceramic composite body having therein at least one cavity which inversely replicates the geometry of a positive mold of parent metal. The method includes embedding the mold of parent metal within a conformable bed of filler to provide therein a cavity shaped and filled by the mold. The assembly is heated to melt the parent metal mold, e.g., an aluminum parent metal mold, and contacted with an oxidant to oxidize the molten parent metal to form a polycrystalline material which grows through the surrounding bed of filler, the molten metal being drawn through the growing polycrystalline material to be oxidized at the interface between the oxidant and previously formed oxidation reaction product whereby the cavity formerly filled by the mold of parent metal is eventually evacuated of the metal. There remains behind a cavity whose shape inversely replicates the original shape of the mold. The method provides ceramic composite articles having therein at least one cavity inversely replicating the shape of the mold which supplied the parent metal for oxidation.

Inverse shape replication method of making ceramic composite articles

The present invention relates to a novel process for forming metal matrix composite bodies. Specifically, a metal which typically would not exhibit spontaneous infiltration properties under a given set of processing conditions can be induced to infiltrate a filler material or preform when combined or contacted with a matrix metal which does exhibit spontaneous infiltration properties. Stated more particularly, when an infiltration enhancer and/or an infiltration enhancer precursor and/or an infiltrating atmosphere are in communication with a filler material or a preform, at least at some point during the process, and a metal which, under the process conditions, ordinarily would not exhibit spontaneous infiltration, is combined with (e.g., alloyed, mixed with and/or exposed to) a matrix metal which does exhibit spontaneous infiltration behavior under the same processing conditions, the combination of metals will spontaneously infiltrate the filler material or preform. Such spontaneous infiltration occurs without the requirement for the application of any pressure or vacuum.

Method for forming metal matrix composite bodies by using a modified

Tooling materials for molds

In the present invention, there is described a setup for producing a self-supporting ceramic body or ceramic composite by the oxidation of a parent metal to form a polycrystalline ceramic material comprising the oxidation reaction product of said parent metal with an oxidant, including a vapor-phase oxidant, and optionally one or more metallic constituents dispersed throughout the polycrystalline ceramic material. The setup is used with a method which comprises the steps of providing at least a portion of said parent metal with a barrier means at least partially spaced from said parent metal for establishing at least one surface of the ceramic body, and heating said parent metal to a temperature above its melting point but below the melting point of the oxidation reaction product to form a body of molten metal. At that temperature, the molten metal is reacted with the oxidant, thus forming the oxidation reaction product. At least a portion of the oxidation reaction product is maintained in contact with and between the molten metal and oxidant to transport the molten metal through the oxidation reaction product toward the barrier means and into contact with fresh oxidant so that the oxidation reaction product continues to form at an interface between the oxidant and previously formed oxidation reaction product. The reaction is continued until the oxidation reaction product contacts the barrier means to produce a ceramic body having the surface established by the barrier means. A shaped ceramic composite is formed by superimposing a barrier means onto either a loose mass of filler material or a self-supporting preform and infiltrating the mass of filler or preform with the polycrystalline ceramic matrix, which grows until it contacts the barrier means.

Set up for making shaped ceramic composites with the use of a barrier

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Newark, DE, United States of America

Marc S Newkirk