Titanium diboride products with directing features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024286966-A1
Application number	US-202418657321-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 7, 2024
Priority date	Nov 8, 2021
Publication date	Aug 29, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The application is directed to products and methods related to a TiB2 substrate with a directing feature, wherein the directing feature is configured to direct TiB2 wettable material in a predetermined direction. In some embodiments, the TiB2 substrate is at least partially covered with solid aluminum metal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A product comprising:
a ceramic substrate comprising a directing feature, wherein the directing feature is configured to direct ceramic wettable material in a predetermined direction.

2 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic wettable material comprises aluminum.

3 . The product of claim 2 , wherein the aluminum is selected from the group consisting of an aluminum alloy, metallic aluminum, and combinations thereof.

4 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the directing feature is selected from the group consisting of a slot, a groove, pores, a channel, and combinations thereof.

5 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the directing feature is configured to direct the ceramic wettable material via capillary action.

6 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the directing feature comprises pores.

7 . The product of claim 6 , wherein the pores comprises a porosity of the ceramic substrate.

8 . The product of claim 7 , wherein the porosity ranges from about 1 to about 200 pores per inch (PPI).

9 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the directing feature comprises at least one slot, wherein the at least one slot extends through a thickness of the ceramic substrate.

10 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic substrate comprises a first prong and a second prong, and wherein the directing feature comprises a slot defined by an inner surface of the first prong and an inner surface of the second prong.

11 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the directing feature comprises at least one groove, wherein the at least one groove extends partially into the ceramic substrate.

12 . The product of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic substrate is a solid geometric form, and wherein the solid geometric form is at least one of rectangle-shaped, square-shaped, triangle-shaped, oval-shaped, or oblong-shaped.

13 . A product comprising:
(a) a ceramic substrate comprising at least one directing feature; and (b) solid aluminum metal at least partially covering surfaces of the ceramic substrate.

14 . The product of claim 13 , wherein the solid aluminum metal is at least partially contained within the at least one directing feature.

15 . The product of claim 13 , wherein the ceramic substrate comprises a surface area, wherein a first portion of the surface area comprises the at least one directing feature, and wherein a second portion of the surface area is absent of any directing feature.

16 . The product of claim 15 , wherein the first portion of the surface area is at least partially covered by the solid aluminum metal.

17 . The product of claim 16 , wherein the solid aluminum metal covering the second portion of the surface area is in a form of a film.

18 . The product of claim 17 , wherein the second portion of the surface area is absent of the solid aluminum metal.

19 . A method comprising:
preparing a ceramic precursor product, wherein the ceramic precursor product comprises a directing feature; and exposing the ceramic precursor product to elevated temperature thereby producing a final ceramic product having the directing feature therein, wherein the directing feature is configured to direct a ceramic wettable material in a predetermined direction.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the final ceramic product is an electrode suited for use in an aluminum purification cell.

Assignees

• Alcoa Usa Corp

Inventors

• Liu Xinghua
• Mosser Benjamin D

Classifications

• C25C7/02

  Electrodes (consumable anodes for the refining the metals C25C1/00 - C25C5/00); Connections thereof · CPC title

• C04B2235/945

  Products containing grooves, cuts, recesses or protusions · CPC title

• C04B2235/3813

  Refractory metal borides · CPC title

• C04B35/64

  Burning or sintering processes (C04B33/32 takes precedence {; powder metallurgy B22F}) · CPC title

• C04B35/58071 Primary

  based on titanium borides · CPC title