Method for fabricating metal foams having ligament diameters below one micron

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288210-A1
Application number	US-201415037573-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for fabricating a metal foam component from an aerogel containing a polymer and nanoparticles is disclosed. The method may comprise: 1) exposing the aerogel to a reducing condition at an elevated temperature for a reaction time to provide a metal foam; and 2) using the metal foam to fabricate the metal foam component. At least one of the elevated temperature and the reaction time may be selected so that at least some ligaments of the metal foam have a desired ligament diameter or at least some pores of the metal foam have a desired pore size. The desired ligament diameter may be less than about one micron and the component may be a component of a gas turbine engine.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method for fabricating a metal foam component from an aerogel containing a polymer and nanoparticles, comprising:
exposing the aerogel to a reducing condition at an elevated temperature for a reaction time to provide a metal foam, at least one of the elevated temperature and the reaction time being selected so that at least some ligaments of the metal foam have a desired ligament diameter or at least some pores of the metal foam have a desired pore size; and using the metal foam to fabricate the metal foam component.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the desired ligament diameter is less than about one micron.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal foam component is a component of a gas turbine engine.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein exposing the aerogel to the reducing condition at the elevated temperature for the reaction time both pyrolyzes the polymer and at least partially reduces the nanoparticles to the metal foam.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the reducing condition is an atmosphere of hydrogen gas in an inert gas.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the elevated temperature is in a range of about 400° C. to 1000° C.

7 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising preparing the aerogel from a mold prior to exposing the aerogel to a reducing condition.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein preparing the aerogel from the mold comprises:
polymerizing a polymer precursor in a solvent containing a metal salt to form a gel comprising the polymer and the nanoparticles; and evaporating the solvent by a supercritical drying process to provide the aerogel.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the polymer precursor is propylene oxide and the polymer is polypropylene oxide.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the metal salt is a hydrate of a nickel (II) salt and the nanoparticles are nickel (II) oxide nanoparticles.

11 . A metal foam component having ligament diameters below one micron, the metal foam component being produced from an aerogel containing a polymer and nanoparticles by a method comprising:
exposing the aerogel to a reducing condition at an elevated temperature for a reaction time to provide a metal foam, at least one of the elevated temperature and the reaction time being selected so that at least some ligaments of the metal foam have a desired ligament diameter or at least some pores of the metal foam have a desired pore size; and using the metal foam to fabricate the metal foam component.

12 . The metal foam according to claim 11 , wherein the metal foam component is a component of a gas turbine engine.

13 . The metal foam according to claim 11 , wherein exposing the aerogel to the reducing condition at the elevated temperature for the reaction time both pyrolyzes the polymer and at least partially reduces the nanoparticles to the metal foam.

14 . The metal foam according to claim 13 , wherein the reducing condition is an atmosphere of hydrogen gas in an inert gas.

15 . The metal foam according to claim 14 , wherein the elevated temperature is in a range of about 400° C. to about 1000° C.

16 . The metal foam according to claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises preparing the aerogel prior to exposing the aerogel to the reducing condition.

17 . The metal foam according to claim 16 , wherein preparing the aerogel comprises:
polymerizing a polymer precursor in a solvent containing a metal salt to form a gel comprising the polymer and the nanoparticles; and evaporating the solvent by a supercritical drying process to provide the aerogel.

18 . A method for producing a metal foam from an aerogel comprising a polymer and nanoparticles, comprising:
heating the aerogel at an elevated temperature to pyrolyze the polymer; and exposing the aerogel to a reducing condition to at least partially reduce the nanoparticles to the metal foam.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein heating the aerogel and exposing the aerogel to a reducing condition are carried out simultaneously for a reaction time.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein a ligament diameter or a pore size of the metal foam is controllable by at least one of the elevated temperature and the reaction time.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Birnkrant Michael J

Classifications

• B22F9/22

  using gaseous reductors · CPC title

• B22F2201/013

  Hydrogen · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• B82Y40/00

  Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures · CPC title

• B22F3/1143 Primary

  involving an oxidation, reduction or reaction step · CPC title