Articles comprising crystalline materials and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021206683-A1
Application number	US-202117301046-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2017
Publication date	Jul 8, 2021
Grant date	—

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 . 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 .

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

4 . 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.

5 . 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.

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

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 , REO, 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 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.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, 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 , CaO, or at least one transition metal oxide.

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 B 2 O 3 , CaO, GeO 2 , SiO 2 , and TeO 2 , based on the total weight of the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.

11 . 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.

12 . The method of claim 2 , 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 2 , 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 2 , 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 2 , wherein the crystalline material has an average crystallite size of at least 20 nanometers.

16 . The method of claim 2 , 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 2 , 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 2 , wherein the nanocrystalline glass-ceramic comprises, on a theoretical oxides basis, 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 , CaO, or at least one transition metal oxide.

19 . The method of claim 2 , 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 2 , 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 Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• C03B32/02

  Thermal crystallisation, e.g. for crystallising glass bodies into glass-ceramic articles {(C03B27/012 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y02P40/57

  Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates · CPC title

• C03B23/0302

  between opposing full-face shaping moulds · CPC title

• C03B19/063 Primary

  by hot-pressing powders · CPC title

• C03B19/102

  by blowing a gas onto a stream of molten glass or onto particulate materials, e.g. pulverising · CPC title