Nano-phase separating ni powder and the methodology to identify them

Abstract

A method of designing a metal alloy powder having a miscibility gap at low temperature is disclosed. The method includes identifying a first metal element and a second metal to form a metal alloy. selecting a third metal having a miscibility gap with the metal alloy. and mechanically alloying the third metal and the metal alloy to form a metal alloy powder having a nanoscale grain size. The metal alloy powder can be engineered to have a phase separation temperature at which diffusion of the third metal occurs to phase separate as a nanoscale phase. The nanoscale phase can redissolve at a transition temperature higher than the phase separation temperature.

1 . A method of designing a metal alloy powder having a miscibility gap at low temperature comprising:
 identifying a first metal element and a second metal to form a metal alloy;   selecting a third metal having a miscibility gap with the metal alloy; and   mechanically alloying the third metal and the metal alloy to form a metal alloy powder having a nanoscale grain size.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder is engineered to have a phase separation temperature at which diffusion of the third metal occurs to phase separate as a nanoscale phase. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the nanoscale phase redissolves at a transition temperature higher than the phase separation temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy is a nano-phase separating powder. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal includes nickel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second metal includes chromium, cobalt, vanadium, silver, molybdenum, tungsten, or iron. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein third metal includes copper. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes manganese. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes vanadium. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes molybdenum. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes tungsten. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes silver. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes zirconium. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy powder includes iron. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy includes a ternary nano-phase separating powder. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal alloy includes a quaternary nano-phase separating powder. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal has a concentration of about 25 at % to about 95 at % of the alloy. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second metal has a concentration of about 25 at % to about 95 at % of the alloy. 
     
     
         19 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of nano-phase separation sintering of a powder comprising:
 providing a fine grained powder including a first metal element and a second metal forming a metal alloy and a third metal having a miscibility gap with the metal alloy; and   sintering the fine grained powder to form a sintered product.   
     
     
         22 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A metal alloy powder for sintering comprising:
 a mechanically alloyed powder including a first metal element and a second metal forming a metal alloy and a third metal having a miscibility gap with the metal alloy.   
     
     
         30 - 36 . (canceled)