Formation of metallic thermal barrier alloys

Abstract

Metal alloys having low electrical and thermal conductivity including relatively large fractions of P-Group element additions. The P-Group elements may be selected from the group including phosphorous, carbon, boron, and silicon. The resultant alloys do not exhibit significantly increased brittleness, and are applied as a coating that provides a metallic thermal barrier coating.

1 . A metal alloy comprising an alloy metal and greater than about 4 atomic % of at least one P-group alloying element.  
     
     
         2 . A metal alloy of  claim 1  wherein the P-group alloying element is present at a level of 4 atomic % to 50 atomic %.  
     
     
         3 . The metal alloy of  claim 1  wherein said P-group alloying element is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, boron, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A metal alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one P-group alloying element comprises 16.0 atomic % B, 4.0 atomic % C, and 5.0 atomic % Si.  
     
     
         5 . A metal alloy according to  claim 1  wherein the alloy metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, chrome, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A method for reducing the thermal and/or electrical conductivity of a metal alloy composition comprising: 
 (a) supplying a metal alloy composition; and    (b) supplying a P-group alloying element;    (c) mixing said metal alloy composition and said P-group alloying element wherein said P-group alloying element is present at a level to reduce the thermal/and or electrical conductivity of said metal alloy composition.    
     
     
         7 . A method of reducing the thermal and/or electrical conductivity of a metal alloy composition comprising: 
 (a) supplying a base metal with a free electron density    (b) supplying a P-group alloying element    (c) combining said P-group alloying element with said base metal and decreasing the free electron density of the base metal.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the free electron density of the base metal is reduced from its base metal value, and wherein said free electron density is generally representative of a fully filled outer shell after combination with said P-group alloying element.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said P-group alloying element is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, boron, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the base metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, copper, zinc. titanium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, vanadium, hafnium, tungsten, manganese, and combinations thereof.