Metal Laminate

Abstract

A method for making a metal laminate comprising at least one plating step and at least one cold roll bonding step. A metal laminate comprising a plurality of alternating structural layers and non-structural layers, where the structural layers contribute significantly to the overall strength of the metal laminate, while the non-structural layers do not contribute significantly to the overall strength of the metal laminate, but serve to bind the structural layers together.

1 . A method for making a metal laminate, where the metal laminate comprises three or more than three layers, the method comprising:
 a) providing a first metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, where the first metal layer further comprises a first, surface and a second surface;   b) providing a second metal layer comprising a different metal or metal alloy than the first metal layer;   c) plating the second metal layer onto the second surface of the first metal layer, thereby producing a combined first metal layer-second metal layer;   d) providing a third metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy that is a different metal or metal alloy than both the first metal layer and the second metal layer;   e) placing the third metal layer onto the second metal layer of the combined first metal layer-second metal layer, thereby producing a combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer; and   f) cold roll bonding the third metal layer onto the second metal layer of the combined first metal layer-second metal layer, thereby producing the metal laminate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the first metal layer, or the third metal layer or both the first metal layer and the third metal layer are a steel selected from the group consisting of an austenitic stainless steel of types 301, 304, 304L, 316 and 321, a ferritic steel of types 409 and 430, a high nickel steel alloy of types 625, 600 C276, 860 and 865, a titanium stabilized low carbon steel that meets the 1006 specification, a high carbon steel type 1050, a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel, a transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel, and a dual phase steel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , where the second metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , where plating is performed by an electrolytic process. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where plating is performed by an electroless process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising diffusion bonding the combined first metal layer-second metal layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness and the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the first metal layer is between 10 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the combined first metal layer-second metal layer after plating the second metal layer onto the first metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness and the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the first metal layer is between 100 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the combined first metal layer-second metal layer after plating the second metal layer onto the first metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness and the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the first metal layer is between 1000 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the combined first metal layer-second metal layer after plating the second metal layer onto the first metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , where the combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer has a thickness, and where the cold roll bonding reduces the thickness of the combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer by between 10% and 95%. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising diffusion annealing/bonding the metal laminate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising cold reducing the metal laminate one or more than one time after diffusion annealing/bonding. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising annealing the metal laminate after cold reducing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cold reducing the metal laminate one or more than one time after cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising annealing the metal laminate after cold reducing. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , where the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer each consists of a metal or consists of a metal alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , where the metal laminate consists of two different types of steel, and either nickel or copper. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , where the metal laminate produced consists of three layers. 
     
     
         19 . A method for making a metal laminate, where the metal laminate comprises five or more than five layers, the method comprising:
 a) providing a first metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, where the first metal layer further comprises a first surface and a second surface;   b) providing a second metal layer comprising a different metal or metal alloy than the first metal layer;   c) plating the second metal layer onto the second surface of the first metal layer, thereby producing a combined first metal layer-second metal layer;   d) providing a fifth metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, where the fifth metal layer further comprises a first surface and a second surface;   e) providing a fourth metal layer comprising a different metal or metal alloy than the fifth metal layer;   f) plating the fourth metal layer onto the first surface of the fifth metal layer, thereby producing a combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer.   g) providing a third metal layer having two outer surfaces, where the third metal layer comprises a different metal or metal alloy than the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the fourth metal layer and the fifth metal layer;   h) placing the third metal layer between the combined first metal layer-second metal layer and the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer, thereby producing a combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer/combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer; and   i) cold roll bonding together the combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer/combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer, thereby producing the metal laminate.   
     
     
         20 . A method for making a metal laminate, where the metal laminate comprises five or more than five layers, the method comprising:
 a) providing a first metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, where the first metal layer further comprises a first surface and a second surface;   b) providing a second metal layer comprising a different metal or metal alloy than the first metal layer;   c) providing a third metal layer having two outer surfaces;   d) providing a fourth metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy;   e) providing a fifth metal layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, where the fifth metal layer further comprises a first surface and a second surface;   f) plating the second metal layer onto one surface of the third metal layer, and plating the fourth metal layer onto the other surface of the third metal layer, thereby producing a combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer;   g) placing the combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer between the second surface of the first metal layer and the first surface of the fifth metal layer, thereby producing a first metal layer/combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer/fifth metal layer; and   h) cold roll bonding together the first metal layer/combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer/fifth metal layer, thereby producing the metal laminate;   where the second metal layer and the fourth metal layer comprise a different metal or metal alloy than any of the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer; and   where the third metal layer comprises a different metal or metal alloy than both the first metal layer and the fifth metal layer.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the first metal layer, or the third metal layer, or the fifth metal layer, or both the first metal layer and the third metal layer, or both the first metal layer and the fifth metal layer, or both the third metal layer and the fifth metal layer, or all of the first metal layer, the third metal layer and the fifth metal layer comprise a steel selected from the group consisting of an austenitic stainless steel of types 301, 304, 304L, 316 and 321, a ferritic steel of types 409 and 430, a high nickels steel alloy of types 625, 600 C276, 860 and 865, a titanium stabilized low carbon steel that meets the 1006 specification, a high carbon steel type 1050, a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel, a transformation-included plasticity (TRIP) steel, and a dual phase steel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the second metal layer, or the fourth metal layer, or both the second metal layer and the fourth metal layer, comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where plating is performed by an electrolytic process. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where plating is performed by an electroless process. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising diffusion bonding the combined first metal layer-second metal layer, or diffusion bonding the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer, or diffusion bonding the combined first metal layer-second metal layer and the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising diffusion bonding the combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness and the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the first metal layer is between 10 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the combined first metal layer-second metal layer after plating the second metal layer onto the first metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness and the second metal layer comprises, a thickness, and where the thickness of the first metal layer is between 100 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the combined first metal layer-second metal layer after plating the second metal layer onto the first metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness and the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the first metal layer is between 1000 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the combined first metal layer-second metal layer after plating the second metal layer onto the first metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19 , where the fifth metal layer comprises a thickness and the fourth metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the fifth metal layer is between 10 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the fourth metal layer in the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer after plating the fourth metal layer onto the fifth metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 , where the fifth metal layer comprises a thickness and the fourth metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the fifth metal layer is between 100 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the fourth metal layer in the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer after plating the fourth metal layer onto the fifth metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 19 , where the fifth metal layer comprises a thickness and the fourth metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the fifth metal layer is between 1000 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the fourth metal layer in the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer after plating the fourth metal layer onto the fifth metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , where the second metal layer comprises a thickness, the third metal layer comprises a thickness and the fourth metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the third metal layer is between 10 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer, and than the thickness of the fourth metal layer in the combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer after plating the second metal layer and the fourth metal layer onto the third metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , where the second metal layer comprises a thickness, the third metal layer comprises a thickness and the fourth metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the third metal layer is between 100 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer, and than the thickness of the fourth metal layer in the combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer after plating the second metal layer and the fourth metal layer onto the third metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , where the second metal layer comprises a thickness, the third metal layer comprises a thickness and the fourth metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of the third metal layer is between 1000 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal: layer, and than the thickness of the fourth metal layer in the combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer after plating the second metal layer and the fourth metal layer onto the third metal layer but before cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the fifth metal layer comprises the same metal or metal alloy as the first metal layer. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the fifth metal layer comprises a different metal or metal alloy than the first metal layer. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 19 , where the combined first metal layer-second metal layer comprises the same metal or metal alloy combination as the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 19 , where the combined first metal layer-second metal layer comprises a different metal or metal alloy combination than the combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 19 , where the combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer/combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer has a thickness, and where the cold roll bonding reduces the thickness of the combined first metal layer-second metal layer/third metal layer/combined fourth metal layer-fifth metal layer by between 10% and 95%. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 20 , where the combined first metal layer/combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer/fifth metal layer has a thickness, and where the cold roll bonding reduces the thickness of the first metal layer/combined second metal layer-third metal layer-fourth metal layer/fifth metal layer by between 10% and 95%. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , further comprising diffusion annealing/bonding the metal laminate. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , further comprising cold reducing the metal laminate one or more than one time after cold roll bonding. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising cold reducing the metal laminate one or more than one time after diffusion annealing/bonding. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising annealing the metal laminate after cold reducing. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising annealing the metal laminate after cold reducing. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the third metal layer, the fourth metal layer and the fifth metal layer each consists of a metal or consists of a metal alloy. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the first metal layer and the fifth metal layer each consists of the same type of steel, and the third metal layer consists of a type of steel that is different from the first metal layer and the fifth metal layer. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the first metal layer, the third metal layer and the fifth metal layer each consists of a type of steel that is different from one another. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the metal laminate consists of two different types of steel, and either nickel or copper. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the metal laminate consists of three different types of steel, and either nickel or copper. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the metal laminate produced consists of five layers. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the metal laminate produced consists of seven layers. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the metal laminate produced consists of nine layers. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the metal laminate produced consists of eleven layers. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 19  or  claim 20 , where the method further comprises providing a sixth metal layer plated onto a seventh metal layer, thereby producing a combined sixth metal layer-seventh metal layer, and applying the sixth metal layer-seventh metal layer onto the second surface of the fifth metal layer before cold roll bonding to create a metal laminate comprising seven layers. 
     
     
         57 . A metal laminate produced according to  claim 1 , or  claim 19  or  claim 20 . 
     
     
         58 . A metal laminate comprising a first outer surface, a second outer surface, a total thickness, a first metal layer, a third metal layer, and an intermediate second metal layer between the first metal layer and the third metal layer;
 where the first outer surface is formed by the first metal layer, and the second outer surface is formed by the third metal layer;   where the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer each comprises a metal or a metal alloy, or where the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer each consists of a metal or consists of a metal alloy; and   where the first metal layer comprises a thickness, the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and the third metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of both the first metal layer and the third metal layer are both between 10 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the metal laminate.   
     
     
         59 . The metal laminate of  claim 58 , where the first metal layer and the third metal layer are both a steel selected from the group consisting of an austenitic stainless steel of types 301, 304, 304L, 316 and 321, a ferritic steel of types 409 and 430, a high nickel steel alloy of types 625, 600 C276, 860 and 865, a titanium stabilized low carbon steel that meets the 1006 specification, a high carbon steel type 1050, a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel, a transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel, and a dual phase steel. 
     
     
         60 . The metal laminate of  claim 58 , where the first metal layer consists of a first type of steel and the third metal layer consists of a second type of steel, and the first type of steel is different from the second type of steel. 
     
     
         61 . The metal laminate of  claim 58 , where the second metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper. 
     
     
         62 . The metal laminate of  claim 58 , where the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer each consists of a metal or consists of a metal alloy. 
     
     
         63 . The metal laminate of  claim 58 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness, the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and the third metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of both the first metal layer and the third metal layer are both between 100 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the metal laminate. 
     
     
         64 . The metal laminate of  claim 58 , where the first metal layer comprises a thickness, the second metal layer comprises a thickness, and the third metal layer comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of both the first metal layer and the third metal layer are both between 1000 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of the second metal layer in the metal laminate. 
     
     
         65 . A metal laminate comprising a tensile strength, and further comprising a plurality of alternating structural layers and non-structural layers;
 where the non-structural layers contribute less than 1% of the tensile strength of the metal laminate, but serve to bind the structural layers together;   where the metal laminate consists of an odd number of structural layers and an even number of non-structural layers;   where each of the structural layers and the non-structural layers comprises a metal or a metal alloy, or where each of the structural layers and the non-structural layers consists of a metal or consists of a metal alloy; and   where each of the structural layers comprises a thickness and each of the non-structural layers comprises a thickness, and where the thickness of each of the structural layers is between 10 and 10,000 times greater than the thickness of each of the non-structural layers in the metal laminate.   
     
     
         66 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where all of the structural layers and the non-structural layers comprise a metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
         67 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where all of the structural layers and the non-structural layers consist of a metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
         68 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where each structural layer comprises a metal or metal alloy that is different from the metal or metal alloy of each non-structural layer. 
     
     
         69 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where each structural layer consists of a metal or metal alloy that is different from the metal or metal alloy of each non-structural layer. 
     
     
         70 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where at least two structural layers comprise a metal or metal alloy that is different from one another. 
     
     
         71 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , comprising at least three structural layers, a first structural layer comprising a first type of steel, a second structural layer comprising a second type of steel, and a third structural layer comprising a third type of steel, where the first type of steel and the third type of steel are different from the second type of steel, and where the first type of steel is the same as the third type of steel. 
     
     
         72 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , comprising at least three structural layers, a first structural layer comprising a first type of steel, a second structural layer comprising a second type of steel, and a third structural layer comprising a third type of steel, where the first type of steel and the third type of steel are different from the second type of steel, and where the first type of steel is different from the third type of steel. 
     
     
         73 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where each structural layer comprises a steel selected from the group consisting of an austenitic stainless steel of types 301, 304, 304L, 316 and 321, a ferritic steel of types 409 and 430, a high nickel steel alloy of types 625, 600 C276, 860 and 865, a titanium stabilized low carbon steel that meets the 1006 specification, a high carbon steel type 1050, a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel, a transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel, and a dual phase steel. 
     
     
         74 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , comprising:
 a) a first structural layer comprising a first type of steel, a second structural layer comprising a second type of steel, and a third structural layer comprising a third type of steel; and   b) two non-structural layers;   where the first type of steel and the third type of steel are stainless steel type 321;   where the third type of steel is a titanium stabilized low carbon steel; and   where each non-structural layer comprises nickel.   
     
     
         75 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where each non-structural layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper. 
     
     
         76 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where each non-structural layer consists of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper. 
     
     
         77 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , where each non-structural layer comprises the same metal or metal alloy, or consists of the same metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
         78 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , consisting of three structural layers and two non-structural-layers. 
     
     
         79 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , consisting of four structural layers and three non-structural layers. 
     
     
         80 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , consisting of five structural layers and four non-structural layers. 
     
     
         81 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , consisting of six structural layers and five non-structural layers. 
     
     
         82 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , comprising more than six structural layers and more than five non-structural layers. 
     
     
         83 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , comprising three structural layers and two non-structural layers, where one of the three the structural layers comprises a low carbon steel, two of the three the structural layers comprise UNS S32100 stainless steel, and both non-structural layers comprise nickel. 
     
     
         84 . The metal laminate of  claim 65 , comprising three structural layers and two non-structural layers, where one of the three the structural layers comprise types 409 ferritic steel, two of the three the structural layers comprise type 625 high nickel steel alloy, and both non-structural layers comprise nickel. 
     
     
         85 . A commercial product comprising a metal laminate according to  claim 57 . 
     
     
         86 . A commercial product comprising a metal laminate according to  claim 58 . 
     
     
         87 . A commercial product comprising a metal laminate according to  claim 65 . 
     
     
         88 . The commercial product of  claim 84 , comprising a product selected from the group consisting of an automobile part, tubing, a home appliance, a counter top and a fuel cell. 
     
     
         89 . The commercial product of  claim 85 , comprising a product selected from the group consisting of an automobile part, tubing, a home appliance, a counter top and a fuel cell. 
     
     
         90 . The commercial product of  claim 86 , comprising a product selected from the group consisting of an automobile part, tubing, a home appliance, a counter top and a fuel cell.