Michigan State University

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Thomas Rector Bieler

Quan Zhou

Jason Dale Nicholas

Lawrence T Drzal

Rick Daniel Kerr

Huizhong Wang

Viswanadha R Yallapragada

Karatholuvu N Subramanian

Sunglak Choi

The disclosure generally relates to a method of creating patterned metallic circuits (e.g., silver circuits) on a substrate (e.g., a ceramic substrate). A porous metal interlayer (e.g., porous nickel) is applied to the substrate to improve wetting and adhesion of the patterned metal circuit material to the substrate. The substrate is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the patterned metal circuit material but not the porous metal interlayer. Spreading of molten metal circuit material on the substrate is controlled by the porous metal interlayer, which can itself be patterned, such as having a defined circuit pattern. Thick-film silver or other metal circuits can be custom designed in complicated shapes for high temperature/high power applications. The materials designated for the circuit design allows for a low-cost method of generating silver circuits other metal circuits on a ceramic substrate.

Controlled wetting and spreading of metals on substrates using porous interlayers and related articles

The disclosure relates to a brazing method for joining substrates, in particular where one of the substrates is difficult to wet with molten braze material. The method includes formation of a porous metal layer on a first substrate to assist wetting of the first substrate with a molten braze metal, which in turn permits joining of the first substrate with a second substrate via a braze metal later in an assembled brazed joint. Ceramic substrates can be particularly difficult to wet with molten braze metals, and the disclosed method can be used to join a ceramic substrate to another substrate. The brazed joint can be incorporated into a solid-oxide fuel cell, for example as a stack component thereof, in particular when the first substrate is a ceramic substrate and the joined substrate is a metallic substrate.

Brazing methods using porous interlayers and related articles

Methods are disclosed for producing in-situ composite solders having a particulate intermetallic phase homogeneously distributed throughout the solder matrix. An eutectic solder is mixed with the components of the intermetallic phase, melted and rapidly cooled to form the desired solder. In-situ composite solder alloys formed by the disclosed method provide greater solder joint strength and fatigue resistance.

Methods for producing lead-free in-situ composite solder alloys

A method for producing continuous and discontinuous fiber metal matrix composites (CFMMC). The method uses aerosolization of finely divided metal powders in a controlled atmosphere which prevents explosions to coat the fibers and then the metal coated fibers are consolidated to form the CFMMC. The composites are useful as heat sinks for electrical components and in applications where a structural reinforced metal matrix composite is needed.

Apparatus for the preparation of metal matrix fiber composites

Method for the preparation of metal matrix fiber composites

Growing community of inventors

East Lansing, MI, United States of America

Thomas Rector Bieler