Chromium coated continous fiber reinforced tiantinum metal matrix composite and the method of making thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a titanium metal matrix composite with chromium coated fiber reinforcement and method of manufacturing thereof. The formulations and methods disclosed herein enable the manufacturing process to take place outside of specialized vacuum furnaces.

1 . A metal matrix composite comprising:
 a fiber reinforcement comprising a fiber reinforcement coated with chromium; and   a titanium alloy matrix comprising:
 from about 70 wt. % to about 85 wt. % Titanium (Ti), 
 from about 0.05 wt. % to about 0.25 wt. % oxygen (O); 
 from about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.4 wt. % carbon (C); 
 not greater than 0.03 wt. %. nitrogen (N); 
 a beta stabilizing element; and 
 One or more of:
 no greater than 5 wt. % aluminum (Al); 
 from about 5 to about 19 wt. % tin (Sn); 
 no greater than 5 wt. % antimony (Sb); and 
 no greater than 2 wt. % bismuth (Bi); 
 
 Wherein the beta stabilizing element is one of:
 from about 1 to about 3 wt. total % of an element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), Tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), or any combination thereof; or 
 from about 1 to about 6 wt. % niobium (Nb). 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The metal matrix composite of  claim 1  wherein
 the sum of C, O, and N, is no greater than 0.45 wt. %; and 
 the sum of Sn, Sb and Bi is no greater than 20 wt. %. 
 
     
     
         3 . The metal matrix composite in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a protective coating comprising either a glass or a flux coating surrounding the titanium alloy matrix, the fiber reinforcement, and the low melting elements. 
 
     
     
         4 . The metal matrix composite of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber reinforcement consists of carbon fibers, carbides, boride, oxides, nitrides, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The metal matrix composite of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber reinforcement further comprises a titanium wire. 
     
     
         6 . The metal matrix composite of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber reinforcement chromium coating is less than 0.002″ thick. 
     
     
         7 . The metal matrix composite of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber reinforcement is further coated with is either nickel (Ni) or copper (Cu); wherein the nickel or copper is between the chromium and the fiber reinforcement. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fiber reinforcement coating of nickel or copper is from about 0.0001″ to about 0.0004″ thick. 
     
     
         9 . A method of preparing the metal matrix comprising:
 coating a fiber reinforcement with chromium;   layering a titanium alloy on at least one side of the coated carbon fiber; and   heating the layers to a temperature of from about 1600° F. to about 1800° F. such that the layers fully diffusion bond and consolidate to form a titanium alloy matrix.   
     
     
         10 . A method of preparing the metal matrix composite comprising:
 coating a fiber reinforcement with chromium;   layering a low melting element layer and titanium alloy on at least one side of the coated fiber reinforcement such that the low melting element is layered between the titanium alloy and the fiber reinforcement;   heating the layers to a temperature ranging from about 400° F. to about 800° F. to melt the low melting elements;   applying pressure to the layers such that the melted low melting elements fill the gaps between the titanium alloy and the coated fiber reinforcement;   cooling the layers such that the low melting element solidifies, and the titanium alloy and the coated fiber reinforcement are soldered together forming a soldered matrix; and   heating the soldered matrix to a temperature ranging from about 1600° F. to about 1800° F. such that the layers of the soldered matrix fully diffusion bond and consolidate to form a titanium alloy matrix.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method takes place in an electric furnace. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fiber reinforcement chromium coating is applied by either electroplating, by chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, or flash plating. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the beta stabilizing element in the form of a thin mesh is layered between the LME layer and the Ti-alloy before the layers are heated. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the soldered matrix is covered with a protective coating before heating. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the titanium alloy matrix comprising:
 from about 70 wt. % to about 85 wt. % Titanium (Ti),   from about 0.05 wt. % to about 0.25 wt. % oxygen (O);   from about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.4 wt. % carbon (C);   not greater than 0.03 wt. %. nitrogen (N);   a beta stabilizing element; and   One or more of:
 no greater than 5 wt. % aluminum (Al); 
 from about 5 to about 19 wt. % tin (Sn); 
 no greater than 5 wt. % antimony (Sb); and 
 no greater than 2 wt. % bismuth (Bi); 
   Wherein   the beta stabilizing element is one of:
 from about 1 to about 3 wt. total % of an element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), Tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), or any combination thereof; or 
 from about 1 to about 6 wt. % niobium (Nb); 
   the sum of C, O, and N, is no greater than 0.45 wt. %; and   the sum of Sn, Sb and Bi is no greater than 20 wt. %.