Metallic structure and a method for use in fabricating thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018127867-A1
Application number	US-201615345863-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 8, 2016
Priority date	Nov 8, 2016
Publication date	May 10, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metallic structure includes a first plurality of metal particles arranged in an amorphous structure; a second plurality of metal particles arranged in a crystalline structure having at least two grain sizes, wherein the crystalline structure is arranged to receive the amorphous structure deposited thereon; wherein the grain size is arranged in a gradient structure.

First claim

1 . A metallic structure comprising:—
a first plurality of metal particles arranged in an amorphous structure;
a second plurality of metal particles arranged in a crystalline structure having at least two grain sizes, wherein the crystalline structure is arranged to receive the amorphous structure deposited thereon.

2 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the grain size is arranged in a gradient structure.

3 . The metal material in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the grain sizes of the gradient structure decreases gradually from the center to the surface.

4 . The metal material in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the gradient structure includes coarse crystal at the center.

5 . The metal material in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the gradient structure further includes a nanocrystalline surface.

6 . The metal material in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the grain of the nanocrystalline surface includes a size smaller than or equal to 1 μm.

7 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the amorphous structure is arranged to form a metallic glass film.

8 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the surface of the crystalline structure includes only minor surface indentation and cracking about the surface indentation upon being deposited with the amorphous structure thereon.

9 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the surface indentation and non-substantial cracking are significantly reduced by the high diffusion factor of the crystalline structure.

10 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the amorphous structure and the crystalline structure form a multilayer gradient structure.

11 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the metal material includes an increased yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of at least 24% and 13% respectively over an untreated metal material with substantially the same ductility.

12 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the metal material includes an increased wear resistance of at least 65% over an untreated metal material.

13 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the metal material includes an increased corrosive resistance at least 5 times of an untreated metal material.

14 . The metal material in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the crystalline structure includes an increased hardness of at least 60% over an untreated metal material and the amorphous structure includes a hardness of at least 3.02 GPa respectively.

15 . A method for use in fabricating a metallic structure, comprising the step of depositing a metal layer having a first plurality of metal particles arranged in an amorphous structure on a substrate; wherein the substrate includes a second plurality of metal particles arranged in a crystalline structure having at least two grain sizes.

16 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the substrate is processed by a physical treatment to form the crystalline structure.

17 . The method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the substrate is further processed by the physical treatment to form a nanocrystalline surface.

18 . The method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the grain size is arranged in a gradient structure.

19 . The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the grain size of the gradient structure is manipulated by the physical treatment such as high strain rate SMAT process.

20 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the metal layer is deposited in a magnetron sputtering process.

21 . The method in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the thickness and/or the composition of the metal layer is manipulated by the magnetron sputtering process.

22 . The method in accordance with claim 20 , wherein a single alloy target is used in the magnetron sputtering process.

23 . The method in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the single alloy target comprises magnesium, zinc and calcium.

24 . The method in accordance with claim 23 , wherein an atomic ratio of magnesium, zinc and calcium is equal to 60:35:5.

25 . The method in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the magnetron sputtering process includes the following parameters:
Background vacuum pressure: ≤1×10 −4 Pa; Substrate temperature: ≤50° C.

26 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the metal layer includes a thickness of 1-15 μm.

27 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the substrate includes a thickness of 0.8-1.8 mm.

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Lu Jian
• Wu Ge

Classifications

• C22C1/11

  Making amorphous alloys · CPC title

• C23C14/35 Primary

  by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C23C14/542

  Controlling the film thickness or evaporation rate · CPC title

• C22C23/04

  with zinc or cadmium as the next major constituent · CPC title

• C23C14/165

  by cathodic sputtering · CPC title