Articles comprising crystalline materials and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608287-B2
Application number	US-202117301046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

Methods for making articles comprising crystalline material. Exemplary articles made by a method described herein include electronics enclosure (e.g., a watch case, cellular phone case, or a tablet case).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming an article comprising:
providing a preform having a volume and a first shape, the preform comprising nanocrystalline glass-ceramic;
providing a mold comprising a cavity having a void volume in the range of 70 to 130 percent of the volume of the preform;
placing at least a portion of the preform within the void volume of the mold; and
heating the preform at sufficient temperature and under sufficient pressure to form an article comprising crystalline material and having a second, different shape,
wherein at least 90 percent by weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic, based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic, does not have a T g .

2. The method of 1 , wherein the mold further comprises at least one cavity port in fluid connection with the cavity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively contains, on a theoretical oxides basis, less than 40 percent by weight SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , and P 2 O 5 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating is conducted in a range from 1000° C. to 1300° C. for a time of at least 30 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline material has an average crystallite size of at least 20 nanometers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, at least 70 percent by weight of Al 2 O 3 , REO, and at least one of ZrO 2 or HfO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, at least 70 percent by weight of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and at least one of ZrO 2 or HfO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis,
(i) at least two of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , HfO 2 , Ga 2 O 3 , REO, Bi 2 O 3 , MgO, Nb 2 O 5 , Ta 2 O 5 , or CaO, or
(ii) at least one transition metal oxide.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, not more than 20 percent by weight B 2 O 3 , CaO, GeO 2 , SiO 2 , and TeO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, not more than 20 percent by weight As 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , P 2 O 5 , SiO 2 , TeO 2 , and V 2 O 5 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

11. A method of forming an article comprising:
providing a preform having a volume and a first shape, the preform comprising nanocrystalline glass-ceramic;
providing a major surface;
placing at least a portion of the preform in contact with the major surface; and
heating the preform at sufficient temperature and sufficient pressure to form an article comprising crystalline material and having a second, different shape,
wherein at least 90 percent by weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic, based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic, does not have a T g .

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing a second major surface opposing the first major surface; and
placing at least a portion of the preform into contact with the second major surface.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively contains, on a theoretical oxides basis, less than 40 percent by weight SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , and P 2 O 5 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the heating is conducted in a range from 1000° C. to 1300° C. for a time of at least 30 seconds.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the crystalline material has an average crystallite size of at least 20 nanometers.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, at least 70 percent by weight of Al 2 O 3 , REO, and at least one of ZrO 2 or HfO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, at least 70 percent by weight of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and at least one of ZrO 2 or HfO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis,
(i) at least two of Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , HfO 2 , Ga 2 O 3 , REO, Bi 2 O 3 , MgO, Nb 2 O 5 , Ta 2 O 5 , or CaO, or
(ii) at least one transition metal oxide.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, not more than 20 percent by weight B 2 O 3 , CaO, GeO 2 , SiO 2 , and TeO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic collectively comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, not more than 20 percent by weight As 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , P 2 O 5 , SiO 2 , TeO 2 , and V 2 O 5 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Rosenflanz Anatoly Z
• Anderson Jason D
• Shanti Noah O
• Stolzenburg Fabian
• Tangeman Jean A

Classifications

• C03C12/00

  Powdered glass (C03C8/02 takes precedence); Bead compositions · CPC title

• C03C3/062

  with less than 40% silica by weight · CPC title

• C03B23/0013

  by pressing (C03B21/04, C03B23/02, C03B23/04, C03B23/18, C03B23/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• C03B23/0256

  Gravity bending accelerated by applying mechanical forces, e.g. inertia, weights or local forces · CPC title

• C03C2204/00

  Glasses, glazes or enamels with special properties · CPC title