Cutting blades made of or coated with an amorphous metal

Abstract

Metal alloys in an amorphous state are employed in the fabrication of cutting implements such as razor blades or knives. The implement may be formed from the amorphous metal or a coating of the amorphous metal may be applied. Such products may be formed from a ribbon of the amorphous metal alloy which has been prepared by quenching the molten metal or by coating the amorphous metal alloy on a suitable substrate such as by a sputtering procedure or vapor, chemical or electro-deposition of the alloy on the substrate.

We claim: 
     
       1. A cutting implement comprising a metal which is at least 50% amorphous, characterized in that the metal has the composition M a  X b , where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Cr and V, X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of P, B, C, Si, Al, Sb, Sn, In, Ge and Be, a ranges from 65 atomic percent to 90 atomic percent and b ranges from 10 atomic percent to 35 atomic percent. 
     
     
       2. The cutting implement of claim 1 in which a ranges from about 73 atomic percent to 84 atomic percent and b ranges from about 16 atomic percent to 27 atomic percent. 
     
     
       3. The cutting implement of claim 1 in the form of a razor blade. 
     
     
       4. A cutting implement having deposited thereon a metal film which is at least 50% amorphous, characterized in that the metal has the composition M a  X b , where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Cr and V, X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of P, B, C, Si, Al, Sb, Sn, In, Ge and Be, a ranges from 65 atomic percent to 90 atomic percent and b ranges from 10 atomic percent to 35 atomic percent. 
     
     
       5. The cutting implement of claim 4 in which a ranges from about 73 atomic percent to 84 atomic percent and b ranges from about 16 atomic percent to 27 atomic percent. 
     
     
       6. The cutting implement of claim 4 in the form of a razor blade. 
     
     
       7. The cutting implement of claim 4 in which the metal film ranges from about 50A to 300A in thickness. .Iadd. 8. A cutting implement comprising a metal which is at least 50% amorphous, characterized in that the metal has the composition M a  X b , where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Cr and V, up to about 1/3  of which may be replaced by alloying elements normally used in steels, X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of P, B, C, Si, Al, Sb, Sn, In, Ge and Be, "a" ranges from 65 atomic percent to 90 atomic percent and "b" ranges from 10 atomic percent to 35 atomic percent. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. A cutting implement having deposited thereon a metal film which is at least 50% amorphous, characterized in that the metal has the composition M a  X b , where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Cr, and V, up to about 1/3 of which may be replaced by alloying elements normally used in steels, X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of P, B, C, Si, Al, Sb, Sn, In, Ge and Be, "a" ranges from 65 atomic percent to 90 atomic percent and "b" ranges from 10 atomic percent to 35 atomic percent. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. The cutting implement of claim 8 in which up to about 1/3 of M is replaced by at least one element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, manganese, titanium, tungsten and copper. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. The cutting implement of claim 9 in which up to about 1/3 of M is replaced by at least one element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, manganese, titanium, tungsten and copper..Iaddend.