Metal alloy composition, method of fabricating the same, and product comprising the same

Abstract

Disclosed are a metal alloy composition including an amorphous or crystalline metal matrix and metal particles having hyperelasticity by a phase transition dispersed in the metal matrix, wherein the metal alloy composition includes at least one early transition metal (ETM), at least one late transition metal (LTM), and silicon (Si) in an amount of greater than about 0 atomic % and less than about 2 atomic %, a fabricating method thereof, and a product including the same.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A metal alloy composition comprising:
 an amorphous or crystalline metal matrix; and   a metal particle having hyperelasticity by phase transition dispersed in the metal matrix,   wherein the metal alloy composition includes at least one early transition metal (ETM),   at least one late transition metal (LTM), and   silicon (Si) in an amount of greater than about 0 atomic % and less than about 2 atomic %.   
     
     
         2 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein a supercooling liquid region of the metal alloy composition is about 40 K to about 100 K. 
     
     
         3 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein the early transition metal is selected from titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), hafnium (Hf), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), chromium (Cr), yttrium (Y), and tungsten (W). 
     
     
         4 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein the late transition metal is selected from nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn). 
     
     
         5 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an atomic number of the late transition metal relative to a sum of atomic numbers of the early transition metal and the late transition metal is about 0.4 to about 0.6. 
     
     
         6 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy composition is represented by Chemical Formula 1:
   (Ti x Zr 1-x Ni y Cu 1-y ) 100-a-b Si a A b   [Chemical Formula 1]
   wherein, in Chemical Formula 1,   A is at least one selected from boron (B), phosphorus (P), indium (In), lanthanum (La), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and gallium (Ga),   0.25≤x≤0.45, 0.3≤y≤0.5, 0<a<2, and 0≤b≤2.   
     
     
         7 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein a martensitic transformation stress of the metal particle is about 1000 MPa to about 2300 MPa. 
     
     
         8 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum recovery stress of the metal particle is about 1500 MPa to about 2500 MPa. 
     
     
         9 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum recovery strain of the metal particle measured under an 8% strain condition ranges from about 5% to about 8%. 
     
     
         10 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein the metal particle has an austenite phase at about 0° C. to about 50° C. 
     
     
         11 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 10 , wherein the austenite phase is transited into one phase of a B19 phase, an R phase, and a B19′ phase by stress application. 
     
     
         12 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 10 , wherein the austenite phase is transited into a B19′ phase by stress application, and may be recovered to the austenite phase by removal of the applied stress. 
     
     
         13 . The metal alloy composition of  claim 1 , wherein
 a temperature corresponding to a crossing point of the metal particle between a plastic deformation critical stress curve and a martensite phase induction critical stress curve depending on temperature changes is greater than about 50° C., and   the martensite transformation starting temperature, martensite transformation finishing temperature, austenite transformation starting temperature, and austenite transformation finishing temperature is less than about 0° C.   
     
     
         14 . A product composed of the metal alloy composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the product is greater than or equal to about 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         16 . A method of fabricating the metal alloy composition, comprising:
 fusing a parent alloy including at least one early transition metal (ETM), at least one late transition metal (LTM), and silicon (Si) in an amount of greater than about 0 atomic % and less than about 2 atomic %;   solidifying the melted parent alloy at a supercooling liquid region between a glass transition temperature and a crystallization temperature to produce an amorphous metal alloy; and   heat treating the amorphous metal alloy to form an amorphous or crystalline metal matrix and a metal particle dispersed in the metal matrix and having hyperelasticity characteristics.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, while producing the amorphous metal alloy, an amorphous fraction of the produced amorphous metal alloy is greater than or equal to about 70 volume %. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein an amorphous fraction of the produced amorphous metal alloy is about 100 volume %. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, while fusing the parent alloy, elements of the parent alloy are melted using an arc melting method. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the parent alloy further includes at least one selected from boron (B), phosphorus (P), indium (In), lanthanum (La), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), germanium (Ge), and gallium (Ga). 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, before heat treating the amorphous metal alloy, the produced amorphous metal alloy is further molded into a predetermined shape.