The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 1996
Filed:
May. 04, 1994
Marc S Newkirk, Newark, DE (US);
Lanxide Technology Company, LP, Newark, DE (US);
Abstract
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.