Production of large-area bulk metallic glass sheets by spinning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289822-B2
Application number	US-201514828302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device comprising: vacuum chamber; a stage configured to receive BMG in a molten state or a BMG feedstock, configured to spin, and located in the vacuum chamber; a heater configured to melt the BMG feedstock or to keep BMG in a molten state molten; wherein the stage comprises one or more conduits therein and the conduits are configured to accommodate a cooling fluid. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming a solid BMG sheet, the method comprising: disposing BMG in a molten state onto a stage; spreading the BMG in a molten state into a sheet of BMG in a molten state by spinning the stage; cooling the sheet of BMG in a molten state to form a solid BMG sheet.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method of forming a solid bulk metallic glass (BMG) sheet, comprising:
disposing molten BMG onto a stage;
spinning the stage to spread the molten BMG; and
cooling the molten BMG to form a solid BMG sheet.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of disposing the molten BMG onto the stage comprises:
disposing a solid BMG feedstock onto the stage; and
melting the solid BMG feedstock.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the stage to a vacuum environment in a vacuum chamber.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of cooling the molten BMG comprises flowing a cooling fluid through a conduit in the stage.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of cooling the molten BMG comprises cooling the molten BMG at a rate that results in at which the solid BMG sheet having an amorphous microstructure after solidification.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of cooling the molten BMG occurs while the stage is spinning.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of disposing the molten BMG onto the stage comprises disposing the molten BMG in a cavity defined by the stage and configured to accommodate the molten BMG.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of spinning the stage to spread the molten BMG comprises forming the molten BMG into a shape having an essentially parabolic surface.

9. A method of forming a component comprising a bulk metallic glass (BMG), comprising:
disposing a substrate onto a stage;
disposing molten BMG onto the substrate; and
spinning the stage to spread the molten BMG over a surface of the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, after disposing the substrate onto the stage, activating an electrostatic clamp to clamp the substrate to the stage.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising cooling the molten BMG to form a solid BMG sheet on the substrate.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the substrate comprises a ceramic material.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the operation of disposing the molten BMG onto the substrate comprises flowing the molten BMG through a conduit surrounded by an induction coil.

14. A method of forming a solid bulk metallic glass (BMG) sheet, comprising:
disposing a BMG feedstock on a stage;
activating a heater associated with the stage to melt the BMG feedstock, thereby forming a molten BMG;
spinning the stage to spread the molten BMG; and
flowing a fluid through a conduit to cool the molten BMG, thereby forming a solid BMG sheet.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operation of activating the heater comprises activating a heater disposed within the stage.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operation of activating the heater comprises activating an induction coil surrounding the stage.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, prior to flowing the fluid through the conduit, moving the stage from a heated region into an unheated region.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, prior to flowing the fluid through the conduit, deactivating the heater associated with the stage.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operation of flowing the fluid through the conduit cools the molten BMG at a rate that results in the solid BMG sheet having an amorphous microstructure after solidification.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the operation of disposing the BMG feedstock on the stage comprises disposing the BMG feedstock in a cavity defined by one or more sidewalls; and
the operation of spinning the stage to spread the molten BMG comprises spinning the stage until the molten BMG contacts the one or more sidewalls.

Assignees

• Crucible Intellectual Prop Llc
• Crucible Intellectual Property Llp

Inventors

• Stevick Joseph W

Classifications

• B22D25/06 Primary

  by its physical properties (B22D27/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C22C45/00

  Amorphous alloys (making amorphous non-ferrous alloys C22C1/11) · CPC title

• C21D2201/03

  Amorphous or microcrystalline structure · CPC title

• C22F1/002

  by rapid cooling or quenching; cooling agents used therefor · CPC title

• B22D13/04 Primary

  of shallow solid or hollow bodies, e.g. wheels or rings, in moulds rotating around their axis of symmetry · CPC title