USRE45414EExpiredUtility

Continuous casting of bulk solidifying amorphous alloys

53
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 14, 2003Filed: Apr 14, 2004Granted: Mar 17, 2015
Est. expiryApr 14, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:William L. Johnson
C22C 1/11B22D 11/045B22D 11/0622B22D 11/06B22D 11/001C22C 45/00B22D 11/0631B22D 11/0611
53
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
115
References
50
Claims

Abstract

A process and apparatus for continuous casting of amorphous alloy sheets having large sheet thickness using bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are provided. Thick continuous amorphous alloy sheets made of bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are also provided.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for the continuous casting of sheets of an amorphous material comprising:
 providing a quantity of a bulk a solidifying amorphous alloy at a temperature above the melting temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy;   stabilizing the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at a casting temperature below the melting temperature (T m ) of the alloy and above the temperature at which crystallization occurs on the shortest time scale for the alloy (T NOSE ) such that the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is in a viscosity regime of about 0.1 to 10,000 poise;   introducing the stabilized bulk solidifying amorphous alloy onto a moving casting body such that a continuous sheet of heated bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is formed thereon; and   quenching the heated bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at a quenching rate sufficiently fast such that the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy remains in a substantially amorphous phase to form a solid amorphous continuous sheet having a thickness of at least 0.1 mm.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at the “melting temperature” Tm of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is from about 10 to 100 poise. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at the “melting temperature” Tm of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is from about 1 to 1000 poise. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the critical cooling rate of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is less than 1,000° C./sec. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the critical cooling rate of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is less than 10° C./sec. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quenching occurs on the casting body. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting body is selected from the group consisting of a wheel, a belt, double-roll wheels. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting body is formed from a material having a high thermal conductivity. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting body is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, chromium copper, beryllium copper, dispersion hardening alloys, and oxygen-free copper. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting body is at least one of either highly polished or chrome-plated. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting body moves at a rate of 0.5 to 10 cm/sec. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting temperature is stabilized in a viscosity regime of 1 to 1,000 poise. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting temperature is stabilized in a viscosity regime of 10 to 100 poise. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid amorphous alloy sheet has a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid amorphous alloy sheet has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heated alloy is introduced onto the casting body under pressure. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy can be described as (Zr,Ti) a (Ni,Cu,Fe) b (Be,Al,Si,B) c , where a is in the range of from 30 to 75, b is in the range of from 5 to 60, and c in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy further comprises up to 20% atomic of at least one additional transition metal selected from the group consisting of Hf, Ta, Mo, Nb, Cr, V, Co. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy ferrous metal based. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1  wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy further comprises ductile crystalline phase precipitates. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus comprising:
 a closed reservoir comprising a nozzle and a plunger, the reservoir configured for stabilizing a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at a casting temperature below a melting temperature (T m ) of the alloy and above a temperature at which crystallization occurs on the shortest time scale for the alloy (T NOSE ) such that the alloy is in a viscosity regime of about 0.1 to 10,000 poise; and at least two quench substrates configured for quenching the alloy at sufficiently fast rate such that the alloy remains in a substantially amorphous phase, to form a solid continuous sheet of the alloy, wherein the at least two quench substrates sandwich the alloy therebetween, wherein the reservoir is positioned vertically to contain the alloy and the nozzle is configured to discharge the alloy in a horizontal direction; wherein the solid continuous sheet has a thickness of at least 0.1 mm and the solid continuous sheet is a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy sheet.   
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the viscosity of the alloy at the melting temperature T m  of the alloy is from about 10 to 100 poise. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the viscosity of the alloy at the melting temperature T m  of the alloy is from about 1 to 1000 poise. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the critical cooling rate of the alloy is less than 1,000° C./sec. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a casting body. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the casting body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, chromium copper, beryllium copper, dispersion hardening alloys, and oxygen-free copper. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the casting body moves at a rate of 0.5 to 10 cm/sec. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is stabilized at a casting temperature such that the alloy is in a viscosity regime of 1 to 1,000 poise. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is stabilized at a casting temperature such that the alloy is in a viscosity regime of 10 to 100 poise. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the solid amorphous alloy sheet has a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the solid amorphous alloy sheet has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the alloy is introduced onto the casting body under pressure. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the alloy can be described as (Zr,Ti) a (Ni,Cu,Fe) b (Be,Al,Si,B) c , where a is in the range of from 30 to 75, b is in the range of from 5 to 60, and c in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the alloy is ferrous metal based. 
     
     
       35. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the alloy further comprises ductile crystalline phase precipitates. 
     
     
       36. An apparatus comprising:
 a closed reservoir comprising a nozzle and a plunger, the reservoir configured for stabilizing a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at a casting temperature below a melting temperature (T m ) of the alloy and above a temperature at which crystallization occurs on the shortest time scale for the alloy T NOSE ) such that the alloy is in a viscosity regime of about 0.1 to 10,000 poise; and at least two quench substrates configured for quenching the alloy at sufficiently fast rate such that the alloy remains in a substantially amorphous phase, to form a solid continuous sheet of the alloy, wherein the at least two quench substrates sandwich the alloy therebetween, wherein the nozzle is positioned with respect to the at least two quench substrates in a manner so as to discharge the alloy in a horizontal direction and cause the alloy to traverse from the nozzle to the at least two quench substrates in a substantially straight line, wherein the solid continuous sheet has a thickness of at least 0.1 mm and the solid continuous sheet is a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy sheet.   
     
     
       37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the viscosity of the alloy at the melting temperature T m  of the alloy is from about 10 to 100 poise. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the viscosity of the alloy at the melting temperature T m  of the alloy is from about 1 to 1000 poise. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the critical cooling rate of the alloy is less than 1,000° C./sec. 
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a casting body. 
     
     
       41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the casting body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, chromium copper, beryllium copper, dispersion hardening alloys, and oxygen-free copper. 
     
     
       42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the casting body moves at a rate of 0.5 to 10 cm/sec. 
     
     
       43. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is stabilized at a casting temperature such that the alloy is in a viscosity regime of 1 to 1,000 poise. 
     
     
       44. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy is stabilized at a casting temperature such that the alloy is in a viscosity regime of 10 to 100 poise. 
     
     
       45. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the solid amorphous alloy sheet has a thickness of 0.1 to 10 mm. 
     
     
       46. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the solid amorphous alloy sheet has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the alloy is introduced onto the casting body under pressure. 
     
     
       48. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the alloy can be described as (Zr,Ti) a (Ni,Cu,Fe) b (Be,Al,Si,B) c , where a is in the range of from 30 to 75, b is in the range of from 5 to 60, and c in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages. 
     
     
       49. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the alloy is ferrous metal based. 
     
     
       50. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the alloy further comprises ductile crystalline phase precipitates.

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